Building a bionic nervous system

It\´s an electrifying time to be in neuroscience. Using implanted devices that send pulses of electricity through the nervous system, physicians are learning how to influence the neural systems that control people\´s bodies and minds. These devices give neurologists new ways to treat patients with a wide range of disorders, including epilepsy, chronic pain, depression, and Parkinson\´s disease. · So far, these stimulators have been oneway devices that deliver a steady sequence of pulses to the nervous system but can\´t react to changes in the patient\´s body. Now, at last, medical device companies are coming out with dynamic neural stimulators that have a bit of "brain" themselves. These smart systems can detect changes in a physiological signal and then respond by delivering a therapy or adjusting the patient\´s treatment in real time.