What Micro Coiling Can Do for the Brain

With the rise in technological medicine providing new methods of helping the body without the need for surgery, many patients are benefiting from the advancements. There are plenty of different coil types available that can help improve medicinal practices. But what can micro coiling do for the brain and the future of technological medicine?

Accessing Control of the Human Brain

For many neuroscientists and doctors, being able to access more areas of the human brain non intrusively is incredibly beneficial. With over 86 billion neurons in the human brain, these neurons control, and manage the body and its behavior. For the pioneers in this medical field being able to isolate and repair those neurons with disorders like depression, ADHD, or schizophrenia would be groundbreaking.

However, to talk about it is much easier than doing something about it. Although they are making headway, they are looking into new techniques for exploring and repairing the brain microscopically.

Implanted Metal Electrodes

A technique traditionally used is implanting metal electrodes. The issue with this is that although it activates an area of neurons, scar tissue that forms around the metal ends up causing a block in the current, rendering them ineffective.

Optogenetics 

This is a fairly new technique and involves flashing a light to control individual cells within the brain. The challenge though is getting a light into the brain in the first place.

These techniques are certainly somewhat effective but they’re not completely successful in accessing the number of neurons that neuroscientists are ultimately after.

A Possible Solution? Micro Coiling

There is a new way that could be more effective. A tiny micro coil is inserted into the brain. By then running a current through this insulated coil, it generates magnetic fields that effectively activate the neurons. This is done with electromagnetic induction and is likely going to be an easier solution than the two mentioned above that are currently used.

This would allow neuroscientists and those in this medical field to target a specific patch of cells. The magnetic fields are easily able to pass through scar tissue too. Microfabrication techniques would make this micro coil that would measure 100 micrometers wide, which in comparison is twice the diameter of a single strand of human hair. 

This type of small parts manufacturing is something that could help revolutionize the next generation of medical devices and components that are used in the field. With submillimeter processes, it can help minimize the invasive element on the body but allows for further access and control of the brain’s neurons.

Micro coiling could be the solution that’s needed in order to help those in the medical field to really make progress on accessing more of those neurons that exist inside the human brain. It’s a technological advancement that could end up helping a lot of people across the globe that suffer from a lot of disorders and problems controlled via neurons in the brain itself.