Neurotechnology Innovations

ADHD affects 366 million adults - yet our treatments haven’t changed much in 80 years. One neuroscientist wants to fix that. Nathalie Gouailhardou was diagnosed at age five. Stimulants never worked for her - the anxiety and insomnia often felt worse than the ADHD itself. Years later, as a neuroscientist, she decided to build something herself. The result is Neurode - a wearable headband that uses brain stimulation and optical sensors to treat and track ADHD symptoms in just 20 minutes a day. And they have a simple but ambitious proposition 👇 ▶ Non-invasive brain stimulation ↳ The headband sends gentle electrical pulses to the prefrontal cortex - the region behind focus and impulse control. ↳ Most users feel only mild tingling, but research shows this stimulation can rebalance ADHD-related neural activity, with effects that build over time. ▶ Real-time tracking of brain activity ↳ Neurode uses near-infrared light to measure tiny shifts in blood flow - the same tech behind $100K fNIRS lab systems. ↳ It turns those signals into insights on focus, fatigue, and cognitive load. Neurode essentially shrunk lab equipment by 100× into a wearable. ▶ Built by people who understand the problem ↳ Nathalie came up with the idea while working with brain-imaging systems at the Bionics Institute. ↳ She and co-founder Damian Sofrevski kept asking: “Why is this tech stuck in labs?” When no one had an answer, they built it themselves. ▶ Backed by deep-tech investors ↳ Neurode has raised $3.5M (pre-seed) from Khosla Ventures, with support from PsyMed Ventures to run clinical trials and seek FDA approval. ↳ The device is currently in private beta - with early traction from people looking for alternatives to stimulants. ADHD treatment hasn’t evolved much in decades. Stimulants - invented before World War II - still dominate, and many countries restrict them entirely. Neurode is betting on a new path: non-invasive neuromodulation + real-time brain data in a simple wearable. If it works, it could open the door to treating far more than just ADHD - from cognitive decline to depression. What’s your take - is this the future of neurotech or still early science? #entrepreneurship #healthtech #innovation

Recent advances in neurotechnology are redefining how we interact with the brain, not through electrodes or implants, but through sound. Researchers have developed a non invasive ultrasound system capable of stimulating multiple brain regions simultaneously, offering precise, multi site neuromodulation without surgical intervention. Unlike traditional transcranial stimulation, which often targets single regions, this approach enables network level modulation, mimicking the brain’s own distributed communication patterns. The technique combines adaptive beam forming with real time feedback, allowing researchers to modulate neural circuits with remarkable spatial and temporal precision. Such progress points toward new frontiers in treating neurological disorders, cognitive modulation, and brain computer interfacing where intervention can be both targeted and non invasive. 📄 Source: Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2025 — “Multi-Site Ultrasound Neuromodulation for Network Level Control” #Neuroscience #Neurotech #Neuromodulation #BrainResearch #Biomedic

Paralysis May Soon Be Reversible Australian scientists have developed groundbreaking electrode tattoos that can help restore movement in patients who have been paralyzed for years. These ultra-thin, flexible electrodes are applied directly to the skin and interface with the nervous system, stimulating muscles and enabling voluntary movement. In recent trials, patients who had been unable to walk for up to a decade regained mobility, marking a major milestone in neurotechnology and rehabilitation medicine. The tattoos work by sending precise electrical signals to nerves and muscles, bypassing damaged areas of the spinal cord. This innovation offers hope to millions of individuals living with paralysis worldwide, providing a non-invasive, effective alternative to traditional therapies. Researchers are optimistic that combining these tattoos with physical therapy can further enhance recovery, improving strength, coordination, and overall quality of life. Experts believe this technology could revolutionize spinal injury treatment, making long-term paralysis increasingly treatable and demonstrating the potential of wearable bioelectronics in medicine. Ongoing studies aim to refine the technique, ensure safety, and explore broader applications for other motor impairments. This discovery emphasizes how cutting-edge science can restore independence and transform lives. #NeuroTechnology #ParalysisRecovery #Technologia #fblifestyle #MedicalBreakthrough

The Expanding Role of Neuromodulation in Recovery The evolving understanding of neuroplasticity, functional connectomics, and neuromodulatory mechanisms has fundamentally altered how we conceptualize treatment for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, therapeutic strategies have focused on pharmacological and behavioural interventions. However, growing evidence suggests that neuromodulation should be considered an adjunctive—if not primary—therapeutic modality for a wide range of neural insults. Neuromodulation as a Therapeutic Strategy - Network-Level Modulation: Unlike conventional treatments that target specific neurotransmitter systems, neuromodulation influences large-scale brain networks, promoting functional reorganization and circuit-level repair. - Synergy with Pharmacological and Behavioral Interventions: Neuromodulatory techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), and focused ultrasound (FUS) have been shown to enhance the efficacy of pharmacologic agents and neurorehabilitation strategies. - Precision Targeting Through Advanced Imaging: The integration of functional and structural neuroimaging allows for individualized targeting of dysfunctional circuits, improving treatment efficacy and minimizing off-target effects. - Induction of Neuroplasticity and Homeostatic Balance: By engaging mechanisms such as synaptic potentiation, inhibitory-excitatory balance modulation, and neurotrophic factor upregulation (e.g., BDNF, GABAergic plasticity), neuromodulation facilitates recovery across neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions. As the field advances, there is a pressing need to: - Refine patient stratification models using computational neuroscience and machine learning. - Expand regulatory frameworks to accommodate precision neuromodulation in clinical practice. - Develop multimodal treatment protocols integrating pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, and neuromodulation. - Enhance accessibility and scalability of noninvasive neuromodulatory interventions. Given its mechanistic underpinnings and clinical efficacy, neuromodulation should no longer be a secondary consideration but rather a core component of therapeutic strategies for neural dysfunction. The challenge ahead lies in optimizing its clinical translation, integrating it within standard-of-care protocols, and advancing personalized treatment paradigms. #Neuromodulation #Neuroplasticity #BrainStimulation #TranslationalNeuroscience #Neuroimaging #PrecisionMedicine #Neurotechnology #ClinicalNeuroscience Image from: Ellis, E.G., Meyer, G.M., Kaasinen, V. et al. Multimodal neuroimaging to characterize symptom-specific networks in movement disorders. npj Parkinsons Dis. 10, 154 (2024). https://lnkd.in/eabubSxr

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to stimulate deep within the brain without the need for brain surgery (i.e. DBS), and without actually making a physical lesion in the brain (i.e. focused ultrasound or pallidotomy)? This paper provides 'proof of concept' that a transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) approach may be achievable. Darmani, Chen and colleagues bring us up to speed in Nature Communications. Key Points: - The authors provide an interesting study that examined TUS-induced changes in 10 individuals w/ Parkinson’s and dystonia. - There were also 15 healthy controls. - Physiology and local field potentials were sampled from deep brain stimulation leads w/in the globus pallidus. - Theta burst TUS increased theta power during DBS. - The authors showed 10 Hz TUS enhanced beta power and the effect persisted for ~40 min. - Interestingly, the GPi TUS actually prolonged stop-signal reaction times. There was also impaired response inhibition. My take: What was interesting was that transcranial ultrasound was able to engage a common target (GPi) used for DBS surgery and focused ultrasound. We all remain 'deeply' interested in noninvasive deep brain stimulation as this could open the door for a safer and potentially (one day) a more practical approach for stimulating from 'outside the brain.' The field has a ways to go, but this is a nice early step. It is critically important that the authors were able to show us that TUS was able to 'modulate neural circuits in a spatially precise manner.' We must – respice finem – consider the outcome, when developing the less invasive methods of brain stimulation. I don't think we should be too disappointed with the early results, as this road will be a long but worthwhile journey. https://lnkd.in/dwKfbgse Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases Parkinson's Foundation

We still don’t fully understand how our TMS treatments for depression change the brain – or how those brain changes lead to clinical recovery. Our lab https://lnkd.in/g65jxsWQ recently collaborated with Davide Momi and Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab to answer this critical question. In a double-blind, sham-controlled trial of Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT) for treatment-resistant depression, daily TMS-EEG (single pulses of TMS while recording scalp EEG) was measured to track brain excitability before, during, and after the 5-day accelerated TMS protocol. What we found: -Progressive, site-specific neuroplasticity – prefrontal excitability, measured by the early (20-60ms) and local TEP (termed the EL-TEP) at the stimulation site dropped by ~40% by the end of treatment, with changes emerging by day 3. -Circuit-level engagement – suppression of the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), an area often implicated in depression, began on day 1 and persisted a month later. -Predictive biomarkers – higher baseline sgACC activity and earlier neurophysiological change predicted greater symptom improvement. These results show that SNT may work through measurable, progressive changes in depression-relevant brain circuits. And those changes could help us tailor TMS to each patient, moving from “trial-and-error” toward precision psychiatry. Was an absolute pleasure working with Davide Momi, Cammie Rolle, Manish Saggar, Nolan Williams and others on this important project! Much more to come 📄 Full preprint: https://lnkd.in/gmJqKx-4 🧠 Lab: https://lnkd.in/g65jxsWQ

Neuromodulating the Rhythms of Cognition: Toward Personalized Brain Stimulation Protocols Recently, our lab published a paper on how rhythmic non-invasive brain stimulation (rh-NIBS)-including rhythmic TMS (rh-TMS) and tACS- can be used to modulate neural oscillations and enhance cognitive performances. It introduces a crucial distinction between two often-conflated mechanisms: Oscillatory synchronization (enhancing the power of an existing brain rhythm) and Frequency shifting (pushing the brain’s intrinsic rhythm to oscilate faster or slower). We proposed a mechanistic framework based on the “Arnold tongue” principle, explaining how stimulation frequency and intensity interact with intrinsic neural oscillators. We emphasize the need to tailor stimulation parameters to each individual's EEG profile (peak frequency, power spectrum, phase alignment).   Key Findings ✅rh-NIBS protocols, tuned to the dominant oscillatory frequency, can produce longer lasting effects on brain and cognition through a successful online entrainment, which is a prerequisite for the generation of synaptic plasticity reflecting enduring aftereffects ✅ We propose a distinction between the synchronization (i.e., increasing the oscillatory synchrony) and the frequency shifting via rh-NIBS (i.e., shifting the oscillatory frequency towards a faster or slower pace), which should be considered two distinct entrainment protocols as their behavioural consequences could drastically differ 💡 Future research efforts should be aimed at optimizing rh-NIBS protocols based on the nature (i.e., peak frequency and the individual power spectrum) and the state (i.e., oscillatory synchronization and oscillatory phase during the stimulation) of the individual oscillatory system. Understanding the mechanisms of entrainment is not just essential for identifying causal brain-cognition links, but for unlocking long-lasting effects in clinical practice.  Thank you to Jelena Trajkovic and Alexander Sack for this insightful review 🔗 Read the full article here: Neuromodulating the rhythms of cognition - ScienceDirect https://lnkd.in/eWt_qgti #BrainStimulation #TMS #tACS #Neuroscience #CognitiveEnhancement #NeuralOscillations #rhNIBS #Neuroplasticity #EEG #Neurorehabilitation Figure illustrating how rhythmic TMS (A) and tACS (B) entrain brain oscillations by aligning stimulation with the brain's natural rhythms—either through phase-resetting magnetic pulses or frequency-matched sinusoidal currents.

Imagine a world where having an #electronic #brain #implant is as #simple #as a #vaccine! Last 7 years of our research at #MIT brings this from the realm of science fiction to real world possibility! In our #NatureBiotechnology paper, we report #SurgeryFree and #autonomous brain implants: tiny nanoelectronics, billion times smaller than a grain of rice, which travel through the body fluids, autonomously recognize target diseased regions in the brain, cross the blood-brain barrier, and self-implant, to provide precise electrical stimulation of the brain. We showed that our tiny electronics safely coexist with the brain cells, creating an unique #brain-#computer-#symbiosis. This is promising for treating debilitating neurological conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, #mental #illnesses, diseases of #aging, movement disorders, stroke, blindness to brain #cancers. Stay tuned for our upcoming papers. Beyond disease treatment, it opens possibilities for human enhancement—through precise neuromodulation as well as synthetic electronic neurons to #expand #neural #density. Building on the successful pre-clinical animal studies done in our MIT lab, our new startup Cahira Technologies will work dedicatedly to translate this technology to humans for alleviating human suffering. While current brain implants are only limited to less than 1% of patients due to surgery costs and risks, by completely defying the need for surgery, we envision making life saving treatments #accessible #to #all! Paper link: https://lnkd.in/gZHA5eNg Check out the video created by the fabulous Jimmy Day with animation created by the amazing Gopalkrishna Pillai. https://lnkd.in/gHgtrMTf . . . Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT Media Lab #CMOS #microelectronics #nanoelectonics #nanofabrication #neuromodulation #DBS #DeepBrainStimulation  #ImplantableMedicalDevices #BrainComputerInterface #BCI #TherapeuticBCI

For the first time in history, scientists have enabled a paralyzed man to walk naturally again using a wireless brain-spine interface — a system that reconnects the brain’s intentions directly to the spinal cord, bypassing the damaged area completely. Here’s how it works: tiny implants are placed in the motor cortex of the brain and in the spinal cord. When the person thinks about walking, the brain implant captures those signals and sends them in real-time to the spinal implant via a wireless connection. The spinal cord then activates the correct leg muscles, allowing the person to stand, walk, and even climb stairs — just by thinking. This breakthrough is powered by advanced neuro-AI algorithms, which decode and translate brain signals with astonishing accuracy. The system continuously adapts, learning from the user’s movements to improve balance and coordination. Tested successfully in a patient paralyzed for over a decade, this technology could revolutionize spinal injury rehabilitation. It’s also laying the foundation for future treatments in stroke recovery, Parkinson’s, and even full-limb prosthetic control. What was once considered irreversible — paralysis — may soon be treatable with thoughts alone. For more info: https://lnkd.in/e28j-Se7.

Advancements in neuroprosthetics have enabled the development of visual systems that bypass damaged optic nerves to transmit data directly to the primary visual cortex. These systems often utilize a custom-designed interface that translates external camera feeds into electrical pulses the brain can interpret. Wireless communication between external sensors and internal brain implants represents a massive leap in medical engineering and rehabilitative technology. By stimulating specific clusters of neurons, these devices aim to restore a sense of spatial awareness and light perception for those with profound vision loss. Clinical trials involving cortical implants have shown promising results in allowing participants to navigate environments and identify basic shapes or objects. This direct-to-brain approach is particularly significant for individuals whose blindness is caused by physical trauma or degenerative conditions affecting the eyes themselves. The integration of sophisticated software allows the system to filter and enhance visual information before it reaches the neural interface. As the hardware becomes more refined, the resolution and clarity of the perceived images are expected to improve significantly. Ongoing research in this field highlights a global commitment to using biotechnology to overcome sensory limitations once considered permanent. These neural bridges signify a new era where biological deficiencies can be addressed through highly targeted electronic interventions.