Post created by: Eliana
Because neurons inside the body still follow the basic rules of physics, scientists and physicians have been able to use physics to study the brain closer to potentially create new treatments for people with epilepsy, a chronic disorder that causes irregular and usually unpredictable seizures.
Neurons allow the passage of ions, positive Sodium ions, through their membranes, specifically through activating "ion gates" in order to increase their voltage, which creates an electromagnetic charge that then communicates with the neurons around it. Complex mathematical equations have been used by scientists studying the brain to calculate the voltage levels in neurons and how high and long the voltage lasts within the neuron. When these ion gates in the neuron's membrane stay open for too long, therefore letting in far more ions than needed, therefore increasing the voltage of the neuron too much for too long. Because of these irregularities in ion gates, it triggers neurons around it until a large cluster of surrounding neurons "fire," or maintain voltage irregularly, which causes a seizure.
Since scientists have been able to study and understand the brain more in-depth using physics, they have used this information to look towards a new, more effective form of treatment for epilepsy. They are interested in finding a way to detect when a seizure is about to occur so that something can be done to prevent or prepare for the seizure. Neurologists have been using a technology called electrocorticography (ECoG), which is a thin sheet of electrodes that is surgically placed on the brain to monitor closely the activity of the brain. In the past, neurologists have had trouble reading data from ECoG, but have come up with a new idea to solve this problem. Computers. They plan on using machine-learning, where computer algorithms are used to detect patterns or conclusion on the data much faster than a human can. Plans are to use computer programs to connect the data from the ECoG live to an app on a phone to alert a person with an epilepsy disorder so that they know ahead of time that they could have a seizure.
A scientist named George Malliaras is in the process of developing a way to pair the ECoG with drugs to stop the seizure from happening altogether. The drug is called GABA, which is a natural inhibitor used to calm extreme brain activity.
Because of complex mathematics in physics were used to study the inner workings of the brain and seizures, there could potentially be a major breakthrough in the future to help people with epilepsy disorder.
Image: Firing neurons Neurons are cells in our nervous system that receive and send information via electrochemical signals. (Adapted from Noba textbook series: Psychology 2019 DEF publishers “Neurons” chapter.)
Source for information: https://physicsworld.com/a/treating-epilepsy-with-physics/
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