Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the cells expressing protective factors for supporting the glial cells and
surrounding tissue.
Cancerous neuron cells behave differently when attaching to a surface matrix
compared with healthy neurons. Deciphering the difference in membrane
potentials and complex interfacial processes using biosensors platforms might
lead to a deeper understanding of the cellular processes involved in malignity.
Anti-cancerous drugs can be tailored first using in vitro investigations. Life-
threatening brain surgery and consecutive tumor regrowth might be prevented
using such targeted treatments. Negative side effects of chemotherapy might be
also avoided.
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7.8 Regenerative Techniques in Neuroscience
Neuroregeneration implies the restoration of neural functionality. Injury,
disease and genetic factors can lead to permanent loss of function in peripheral
nerves in the spine or brain. In the central nervous system, severed axons never
regenerate and the lost neurons are never replaced, unless they are olfactory
neurons. For so many years recovery and brain repair has been a major goal in
neuroscience, although progress has been slow in coming. Attempts to use stem
cells derived from the olfactory system of the injured person and inject them in
the affected area of the spinal cord may one day yield fruitful results. At the
brain level, accidents, stroke or diseases such as Parkinson's are even more
dicult to treat. For almost three decades, efforts have been focused on
replacing the dying neurons with embryonic tissue in order to regenerate the
cells that use dopamine as a neurotransmitter. New hopes are related to the use
of totipotent embryonic stem cells which somehow receive the right signal from
the surrounding tissue to derive the correct type of cell. To overcome ethical
debates, umbilical cord cells or stem cells available in each brain might be an
alternative source for collection and use. However, the problems related to the
harvesting, growing and delivering of these cells to the right areas of the brain
and, more than that, to manipulate and control their proliferation, are real
technical diculties for the research community. Until regeneration can be
naturally achieved by personalized techniques, generic treatments involving the
miniaturization of biocompatible implantable devices for drug release and
electrical stimulation of specific brain areas are temporary solutions to
consider. It is evident that brain regeneration will constitute a major area of
activity in neuroscience for decades to come.
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7.9 Prosthetic Implants
In the next decades it is expected that sensory and motor impairments will be
alleviated as a direct result of the increasing knowledge accumulated from
modern brain imaging techniques. Correcting lost sensory and motor functions
will be possible by implementing electrode arrays in the motor cortex designed
to detect the intention of movement and translate it directly into the moving
operation. This will enable paralyzed individuals to move and control their
