An interactive game test that trains people to change their brain waves have shown promise as a cure for neurological pain-which offers the hope of a new drug-free treatment.
UNSW Sydney researchers teaches users how to manage the abnormal brain activity associated with chronic nerve pain, which offers a potential, non -invasive alternative to the home.
The recent trial of this technology, led by Professor Silvia Gustan and UNSW Sydney’s Neurocoric Research Hub, has presented promising results published in it. Journal of Pain.
The study compares hundreds of steps for participants’ pain and related matters, such as four weeks before the interactive gameplay, during and after the pain interferes. Their mental activity was tracked through the EEG (Electrolysis Falagra) headset, which was responded in real time to convert the app into brainwave samples.
Three of the four participants showed significant reduction in pain, especially near the end of treatment. Overall, the comparison of the pain from the three was offered by OPIs or more.
“Study size, design and restrictions restricted to normalize our results or reject the plasboh effects,” says Dr. Hassam Shariati.
“But the results we have seen are interesting and give us confidence to go to the next step and our major trial.”
The Penuvio Project is based on the last research of UNSW Professor Silvia Gustin about changes in brain thalams – a central relay center in the brain – nerve (neuropathic) is associated with pain.
“The brain waves of people with neuropathic pain show a separate pattern: more slow theta waves, low alpha waves, and more fast, high beta waves,” says Professor Gustin.
“We believe that these changes interfere with the fact that Thalams talks to other parts of the brain, especially the sensory motor cortex, which registers pain.”
“I thought, can we develop a treatment that directly targets these unusual waves and makes it normal?”
The challenge was picked up by an international team in the UNSW Science and Neuro Science Research Australia (Neora), chaired by Professor Gouston and Dr. Hasam Sharti, and as a result, there was talk of pain.
At its first trial, all four participants received a cut with a headset and a tablet that was already loaded with the game app, including instructions for its use. They were also given points for various mental strategies, such as focusing on comfort or pleasant memories, to help them bring their brain activity into a more “normal” state.
Meanwhile, user data was uploaded to the research team for remote monitoring.
“After just a couple of zoom sessions, participants managed to run fully treatment,” says Dr. Hassam Shariati.
“Participants felt empowered to handle their pain in their environment. This is a huge part of something that makes it special.”
Initially, Dr Hassam Shari says, the team planned to use the current commercial EEG system, but they were either very expensive or did not meet the standards needed to provide the project. Instead, they made their progress.
“Everything except the open source EEG board was built at home,” says Dr. Hassam Shariati. “And soon, even the customs designed board will be replaced.”
Professor Geston says that thanks to 3D printing, the team has made the cost of each headset to $ 300 – which is a part of existing systems tags from $ 1,000 to $ 20,000.
Headset uses a salty electrode system to improve the quality of the signal and targets the sensormotor cartilax.
“We have worked with patients to ensure that the headset is lightweight, comfortable and user -friendly,” says Professor Gouston.
“The owner of this technology gives us the ability to offer pain as a really affordable, accessible solution in a day, especially for those who have limited access to traditional treatment.”
Researchers are now demanding participants to enter their interest in two incoming trials of neuromodulation technology: investigating the ability to reduce spinal cord pain, and stopping trials, using chronic neuropathic pain in people with spinal cord injury.
