“Brain Implant Improved Thinking in Monkeys, First Such Demonstration in Primates"

Researchers at Wake Forest and the University of Southern California are currently working on an implant aimed at improving cognitive functions in injured brains. While the technology is in the very early stages of development, it recently showed some promising results in a study performed on rhesus monkeys, whose brains are similar to a human’s.

In the monkeys, a device was implanted in the “frontal cortex of the brain, the seat of thinking and planning,” to facilitate “communication among neurons.” When the device was activated, the monkeys performed significantly better on a memory test than when it was off. With the added neuronal stimulation, they even performed better when steps were taken to impair their ability to remember.

According to Dr. Deadwyler, one of the researchers, “...it is possible to envision a system that could help people with brain damage. The whole idea is that a device would generate an output pattern that bypasses the damaged area, providing an alternative connection.”

While this technology is still years away from its ambitious goals, it’s encouraging that these scientists have provided a new model that can be further tested, modified, and enhanced.

Read about this fascinating research in the New York Times:

“Brain Implant Improved Thinking in Monkeys, First Such Demonstration in Primates,” by Benedict Carey  

"The Perils of Texting While Parenting"

In this weekend’s Wall Street Journal, an article dubbed “The Perils of Texting While Parenting” continues with the theme introduced in last week’s post about the dangers of texting while walking: increasingly distracted cell phone users are potentially leading to greater instances of childhood injuries.

As the numbers indicate, there seems to be a recent reversal in the overall trend of decreasing childhood injuries that began around the 1970s. From 2007 to 2010, nonfatal injuries sustained by children five and under rose 12%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, recent statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission demonstrate that more children are sustaining injuries “…during the activities and ages that would seem to warrant close supervision.”  

Although no studies have proven a causal link between distracted parents and injuries to their children, it is hard to overlook the possibility. As injury prevention specialist David Schwebel is quoted saying in this article, younger children “have a natural risk to hurt themselves if they are not properly watched by an adult. If the adult is distracted, clearly the risk is increased. We know that drivers and pedestrians are distracted and more at risk when they use devices. It’s a fairly small leap to suggest that supervisors are distracted.”

Check out the below link to the read the article and watch a video on WSJ’s website:

Article and Video: "The Perils of Texting While Parenting," by Ben Worthen

"Back-to-school health: Recognizing sport-related concussions"

As our Relevant Statistics section can attest to, sports-related Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are a real problem for today’s kids. While concussions seem to be occurring more frequently among young athletes, most coaches, parents, and even players themselves don’t realize when it’s happened. As this article posted on Boston Children’s Hospital’s pediatric health blog warns, “Children who get a second concussion before fully recovering from the first are at a greater risk for serious, long-term problems.” This is a great read that provides helpful tips on how to recognize concussions so they can be treated immediately and further damage can be avoided.  

“Back-to-school health: Recognizing sport-related concussions,” by Alexandra Wade, Michael O’Brien, MD, and William Meehan, MD

To contact Dr. O’Brien with any further questions, send them in a tweet with hash tag #SafeSports and hopefully he’ll respond!

Update on Monday, October 1, 2012 at 10:54PM by Minutes for Memories

Some National Football League players choose helmets for looks over safety??? Maybe they should all read this article too...

Why texting while walking is more dangerous than you thought...

As crazy as it sounds, texting while walking might have been the most dangerous thing you did today. According to Safe Kids Worldwide’s new study, Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation, injuries sustained while walking for kids 16 – 19 years old have increased 25% in the past 5 years. As Kate Carr, the president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide, notes, “We suspect one cause of this disturbing trend is distraction, since the increase in teen injuries seems to correlate with the prevalence of cell phone use, both among walkers and drivers.” Maybe it’s best to take the advice and put the phone down.

See the below links for more...

Safe Kids Press Release: "New Study Finds Teenagers at Greatest Risk for Pedestrian Injuries"

NBC News: "Put the Phone Down and Walk! Teen Pedestrian Injuries on Rise"

Huffington Post: "Texting while Walking: How Distracted Pedestrians are Hurting Themselves"

"Turning Thoughts into Action"

As technology continues to improve, it provides new and exciting opportunities for people living with injuries. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brown University are currently working on a neurotechnology to turn a person’s “thoughts into action,” literally. Essentially, this complex process involves a computer chip reading electrical brain signals and translating them into movements on computers and robotic arms. One of the researchers, Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD hopes to “assist people with ALS, spinal cord injuries, and stroke to regain control over their environment.”

After suffering a stroke, Cathy Hutchinson was left quadriplegic and unable to speak or move. As a participant in a study done this past April, Cathy used her thoughts to control a robotic arm and sip her morning coffee all by herself for the first time in 15 years. To see Cathy in action, check out the below video!

"Turning Thoughts into Action," article on MGH's Website