Shanghai hospital clears ethical reviews for chip brain implant treatment for depressed patients
- The hospital said the project has passed ethical reviews and that it will recruit adults with depression as patients for further studies
- BCI technology has come under the spotlight in recent years thanks to advancements in neurotechnology
In a sign that China is making progress in brain-computer interface technology, a public hospital in Shanghai has begun neuromodulation treatment for depressed patients by using electrode chips implanted in their brains, according to Chinese media reports.
Affiliated with the prestigious Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai briefed Chinese media on its brain-computer interface (BCI) therapy project when it unveiled a new BCI and neuromodulation centre last week.
Neuromodulation is the use of medical devices to enhance or suppress nervous system activity by delivering electrical or pharmaceutical stimulation directly to the target area.
The hospital said the project has passed ethical reviews and it will recruit adults with depression as patients in further studies, although it was unclear how many patients will be involved.
BCI technology has come under the spotlight in recent years thanks to advancements in neurotechnology. It promises a future where the human brain and external devices can communicate with one another.
“We will implant chips into patients’ brains via a minimally invasive surgery. An electric stimulation will then be activated on the brain after we conduct an AI-based analysis,” Sun Bomin, the hospital’s director of functional neurosurgery, was quoted as saying by state media Shanghai Morning Post. Sun said this form of treatment is aimed at helping patients with depression who have shown resistance to traditional treatments.