Kick-starting the brain
'We knew he had sufficient "hard-wiring",' says Joseph. 'Brain scans showed us that different parts of his brain were still communicating with each other, and that the areas involved in language were still working.'
The problem was that the patient's head injury had damaged the part of his brain that activates when the brain needs to work harder, known as the central thalamus. His brain was a bit like a car stuck in first gear. By putting electrodes into the central thalamus, the scientists were able to 'kick-start' his brain into action.
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Before surgeons insert the stimulating electrodes into the patient's brain, they use a different type of electrode to record brain activity and work out the best location to target with the implant.
Image: Cleveland Clinic |
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