Implantable microchip against pain syndrome

Australians have learned to slow down pain with a microchip
ABC Magazine based on ZDNet materials: Sydney scientists beat pain with spinal chip

Australian scientists from the National Center for Information and Communication Technologies (NICTA) in Sydney have developed a microchip, implantation of which can help in the fight against chronic pain syndrome in severe neurological pathology. Its main advantage is its ultra–compactness, the width of the device is only 1.22 mm.

The microchip is enclosed in a biologically inert shell of polymer materials, so it can be placed inside the body in close proximity to the roots that depart from the spinal cord and from which sensitive nerves are formed, among other things. The device "interrupts" the pain afferentation going through these nerves to the brain with electrical impulses of up to 10 volts.

Another undoubted advantage of the implant is a power source that can be recharged remotely without removing it from the body. The results of the project funded by the Australian government can be used in clinical practice, primarily in arthrology and neurology. Most often, severe pain syndromes are accompanied by joint diseases or vascular pathology such as migraine. In addition, the researchers hope that their development will help in the prevention of seizures, primarily epileptic seizures, as well as in the relief of tremors (shaking of fingers and head) in Parkinson's disease.

Chronic pain syndrome causes $ 34.3 billion in damage to the Australian economy annually, the total number of labor losses (in days) for the same year reaches 36 million.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru21.12.2010