Neurological brain sensor

An engineering researcher at the University of Arkansas has developed a wireless, implantable biosensor that may one day help physicians treat patients with neurological brain disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and epilepsy.

“There is no cure for Parkinson’s,” said Vijay Varadan, Distinguished Professor of electrical engineering and the Graduate Research Faculty Endowed Chair in Microelectronics and High Density Electronics. “But if neurites in the brain can be manipulated properly, we can control symptoms of the disease. We can stop tremors, and patients can live relatively normal lives.”

Once inside the body, Varadan’s biosensor senses and monitors the release of essential chemicals produced by the brain, including dopamine. Otherwise known as a neurotransmitter, dopamine is a chemical that facilitates communication between neurons in the brain.

A specialized set of neurons in the substantia nigra section of the brain are the source of chemical activity that controls normal movements of the body. But when neurons in the substantia nigra degenerate, there is a loss of dopamine. This loss of dopamine causes nerve cells to fire excessively, making it impossible for Parkinson’s patients to control their movements. The loss of motor control is manifested in tremors or trembling hands, two of the primary symptoms of Parkinson’s.