News Neuroscience

Electrical brain implants may help patients with severe brain injuries

After deep brain stimulation, five patients scored better on an attention test

Illustration of a the brain inside a 3-D silouhette of a man's head featuring, in part, the thalamus, which is shown in turquoise.

By stimulating part of the thalamus (shown here in turquoise), researchers were able to help patients with traumatic brain injuries regain some lost mental function.

FERNANDO DA CUNHA/Science Source

By Darren Incorvaia

For people with traumatic brain injuries, cognitive functions like memory, attention and mood regulation can become exceedingly difficult. But “there is no therapy for this kind of problem, even though it’s so prevalent,” says Nicholas Schiff, a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.