New Therapy In Development Could Help Restore Function To People With Brain Or Spinal Injury
By KYW Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- There's a new therapy being developed that could help people with brain or spinal injuries regain lost functions.
One of the most difficult things to deal with in medicine are damaged neurons. They could have been damaged in many different ways, including by stroke or an injury to the spinal cord.
Now, there may be a new tool that could be used some day to help people with these problems, and it's based on a technique called optogenetics.
Optogenetics allows the precise stimulation of specific cells, usually neurons in the brain, that have been genetically sensitized to light. The theory is that if an implantable device with a light source could be put inside the brain, it could make a difference in cell function.
The result? Doctors could start studying neurons and find out which react to the light -- potentially providing an increase in function to those who have lost it.