This is a draft for the final project in an online-course "Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life".

1. Work with Your Brain
Alex Chen

2. Know Your Brain
• After taking this course, I have a better understanding
how our brain commands and controls our sensory
devices and motions.
• With in-depth explanation by Prof. Mason, I am eager
to learn how we can work with our brain and the rest
of neural systems
• In this presentation, I would like to introduce two latest
techniques that will help us to better work with our
brain:
– Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
– Magnetic Resonance guided Focused Ultrasound
(MRgFUS)

3. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
• It is an electronic device that will be implanted
into patient’s body to generate electronic
stimulation to regulate the targeted neural
system
• It is comprised of three components: the
implanted pulse generator (IPG), the lead, and
the extension
• The IPG is a battery-powered neuro-stimulator
encased in a titanium housing, that sends electric
pulses to the targeted area of the brain

4. DBS implant
• A graphic representation is shown below:

5. The progress of DBS
• In 1997, FDA approved DBS as a treatment for
essential tremor
• In 2002, FDA approved DBS as a treatment for
Parkinson’s disease
• In 2003, FDA approved DBS as a treatment for
dystonia
• In 2009, FDA approved DBS as a treatment for
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• In on-going research studies, DBS is considered as
a possible treatment for chronicle pain, major
depression and severe Tourette syndrome

6. Limitations of DBS
• Over 100,000 cases of adoption around the world,
some of them show adverse neuropsychiatric effects
such as apathy, hallucinations, compulsive gambling,
hypersexuality, etc.
• Since the device is implanted, there is the possibility of
electrode displacement or dislodge. It would require
constant checking and examination.
• Basically, it is not clear how electric pulses generated
by DBS can regulate targeted neural function in the
brain. This is still an active research subject.

7. DBS and Acupuncture
• Clinically, there are two ways to apply acupuncture: manual
application (MA) and electrical application (EA)
• Ancient Chinese approach is primarily using MA. Applying heated
needle to the targeted acupoints triggers the acupuncture analgesia
as well as focused thermal stimulation
• Modern acupuncture starts using EA as a non-intrusive approach,
that is targeted primarily local axons of neural cells
• DBS takes one step further to apply electric pulses directly into the
targeted area of the brain
• Acupuncture application normally only last a short period of time. It
would require the patients to come back for another treatment
• At current stage, DBS needs to be applied for a relatively long
period of time to see the actual change takes place
• However, it appears to have some correlation between acupuncture
EA and DBS

8. Magnetic Resonance guided Focused
Ultrasound (MRgFUS)
• Due to the availability of functional MRI (fMRI), we
now have a better understanding of how different
parts of brain respond to external stimuli. Blood
Oxygenation Level Dependency (BOLD) fMRI measures
the hemodynamics of transient neural activity, which
can lead to a 3D parametric map of the cortex.
• With the guidance of fMRI, we now can apply the
focused ultrasound to achieve precise ablation of
diseased tissues. It is also possible to harness MRgFUS
to treat lesions in the brain without cuts.
• Hopefully, in the future, we can use similar technique
to repair neural cells throughout our body.

9. Conclusion
• Decades of research and development makes
DBS and MRgFUS possible to cure some
diseases in our brain and neural system
• A clear understanding of neurobiology
advances our health to a new level that
previously is not possible
• I sincerely hope we will all benefit from the
merging effects of these two forces