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Wednesday, 11th March 2009 (1451 views)

A new medical technique involving the use of nanotechnology could improve treatment of paralysis and Parkinson's disease, it has been claimed.

According to Science Daily, a nanotechnology coating for brain implants can help prolong the effectiveness of such devices, which are also used to treat deafness, blindness and epilepsy.

The breakthrough has been made by researchers at the University of Michigan, with team member Mohammad Reza Abidian stating that nanotechnology - which often involves the use of gold - will help to further development and improve the efficiency and lifespan of the implants.

"You want to be able to use these for at least a couple years," he said, adding that current technology is limiting the effective period of use for the devices.

In related news, nanotechnology has been used by scientists based at the University of California San Francisco to create an artificial pancreas that is not destroyed by the body's autoimmune system, ABC News reports.

 

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