The daily routine of taking our medication is more often than not a burden. Sometimes we forget all about it, other times we miss the exact time when treatments must be taken. No matter if we set up alarms, write on post-its or remind ourselves about our daily medicine, it has always been a hard schedule to follow when it comes to at-home medication.
Taking our daily meds could look dramatically different in the future, as a new study suggests. Researchers at Washington University in San Luis have gathered together in an effort to create a wireless device that can be implanted in the brain be and controlled with a special remote, to deliver drugs.
One of the most debated issues in pharmacology and medicine altogether relates to the unwanted side effects of treatments and the consequences they bring to our general health system. Generally, drugs designed to treat one affection could trigger another condition, thus create a very dangerous and inconvenient row of health problems. The more specific and targeted a drug is, the better it can score to treat exactly what it is supposed to treat, without affecting related organs. Sticking to the perspective, inserting a drug for the brain directly into the brain is the best way to target. The ability to aim specific circuits within the brain is even more versatile.
A team of researchers has managed to implant a special device into mice’s brains. The device is about the width of a hair and someday the technology could be used in humans, for more efficient depression, epilepsy and pain treatments. Other neurological disorders can be treated too, according to a recent official statement from researchers.
The implantable device delivers light or drugs to certain areas of the bran. By using targeted drugs that are delivered exclusively to certain regions of the brain, side effects from drug use have the potential of becoming much less severe. The list of benefits does not end here, as we can program and command the device to perform the treatment at the right time, without us taking the responsibility for our own treatment and reminding ourselves that is the high time to swallow that pill.
A remote control helps deliver drugs to the brain and as back from the future as it sounds, it is as real and truthful as depression treatments.
“With one of these tiny devices implanted, we could theoretically deliver a drug to a specific brain region and activate that drug with light as needed. This approach potentially could deliver therapies that are much more targeted but have fewer side effects”, researchers stated.
Image Source: businessinsider.com
