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Post by ۞Quaalude™۞ on Oct 15, 2008 16:07:27 GMT -5
Scientists have shown it is possible to harness brain signals and redirect them to make paralysed limbs move. The technology bypasses injuries that stop nerve signals travelling from the brain to the muscles, offering hope for people with spinal damage. So far the US team from the University of Washington have only tested their "brain-machine interfaces" in monkeys. The hope is to develop implantable circuits for humans without the need for robotic limbs, Nature reports. Wired up Spinal cord injuries impair the nerve pathways between the brain and the limbs but spare both the limb muscles and the part of the brain that controls movement - the motor cortex , However, these results have been produced in experimental models where there is no injury per se." He said injury-induced changes to the nerve circuits might hinder the technology's application in real life. Also, brain-machine interfaces communicate in only one direction - in this case from the brain to the muscle. "Sensory feedback, so important for fine control of movements and dexterity, is still some way away," he said QC news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7669159.stm
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Post by ۞Quaalude™۞ on Jul 15, 2009 23:21:05 GMT -5
China Bans Shock Therapy for Internet Addiction For over a year, the Chinese government has campaigned against Internet addiction, saying young people's excessive time in Internet cafes is hurting their studies and damaging family life. However, after media reports surfaced regarding the use of electroshock therapy to treat teenage Internet addicts, the Ministry of Health released a statement questioning the safety and effectiveness of the treatment and banning its use in this population. Nearly 3,000 teens have been subjected to the "electric impact therapy" as part of a four-month Internet addiction treatment program at Linyi Mental Hospital. QC
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