Imagine a small device in one's head to treat serious health problems, such as epilepsy, arthritis, or even incontinence. The thought of it may seem to be from science fiction; however, it is growing as reality. Tests for new brain implants are being done that are going to transform lives and could be valued at over £15 billion by the 2030s. The following section covers this new, exciting technology and how it is changing lives today.
October saw Oran Knowlson from Britain become the first person in the world to use a new brain implant developed to help in epilepsy. Oran suffers from a serious form of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Before that, he had frequent seizures, very hard to control. Now, his seizure occurrences during the day have reduced by 80 percent after the implant!
It's had a huge impact on his life and has prevented him from having the falls and injuries that he was having before," said Martin Tisdall, one of the top doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London involved with the implant. The implant, called Picostim, rests under Oran's skull, sending electrical signals deep into the brain to block abnormal impulses causing seizures. It's about the size of a mobile phone battery and is recharged by using headphones. The implant works differently during the day and at night, and it even records the activity of the brain to improve how it works.
There are already plans to fit three more children with this implant, followed by a larger trial with 22 children early next year. If all goes well in these trials, the implant could soon be available through the NHS.
However, Oran's case is not the only development that has spun people on their heels. Other conditions for which brain implants are being pushed through are many. The new models of implants are advanced in that they not only read out brain activity but even control it. This could help with conditions like brain cancer, chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson's disease, and even tinnitus.
A company in London called Amber Therapeutics developed Oran's implant alongside Oxford University. One of the engineers behind the device, Tim Denison, believes similar technology will be available across the globe within four to five years.
In the U.S., companies like NeuroPace have developed brain implants to treat epilepsy but with some severe limitations: the batteries of the implant need surgery to be replaced. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Neuralink is still developing brain chips for people with spinal cord injuries. These chips enable users to control things like computer cursors using only thoughts.
Other types of brain implants are also in the process of exciting new developments. One example is a graphene implant—made of a super-thin material—which is under test for assistance with brain cancer. It can stimulate brain activity with such a degree of precision that it can be used to make sure doctors don't damage important areas of the brain when removing tumors.
Inbrain Neuroelectronics, based in Spain, is working on an implant controlled by AI that can treat Parkinson's disease and speech problems resulting from strokes. Maybe one day it will even assist doctors in personalizing treatment for each patient without having to manually change the settings themselves.
Another start-up, Galvani Bioelectronics, is trying to treat rheumatoid arthritis with implants that will stimulate nerves in the body. They have initiated their clinical trials in the UK, US, and Netherlands, whose results are somewhat imminent.
The field of brain implants is on a fast track. The European effort is right behind its US counterpart in developing these life-changing technologies. At MintNeuro in the UK, next-generation chips could treat urinary incontinence. In Geneva, Neurosoft has come up with soft implants to help with severe tinnitus. And in Milan, Newronika has developed a rechargeable brain stimulator for Parkinson's disease.
The race to get these therapies into the NHS and other healthcare systems across the world is well placed, along with the U.S., according to Tim Denison, amber therapeutics, Europe, and the UK. "It's a fair race, and we're going to go for it, " he says.
The brain implant and related technologies market has already reached a value of $8.7 billion and is expected to surpass $20 billion by the end of 2031. That means many new companies and innovations have been popping up, paving the way for an interesting era for medical technology enthusiasts. Brain implants are soon going to enable millions of people to cope with many different health problems, leading to better and easier living.
So, next time you hear about brain implants, remember: they are no longer some science fiction idea. They're here to make the case and may very well be coming to a hospital near you sometime soon!
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