Neural chip decodes interactions between brain regions

EPFL researchers have developed an implantable neural chip called LogSync, which can track communication across brain regions and identify cognitive and emotional states in real time. This innovative system, which was developed as part of a CHF 6.6 million grant from the US National Institute for Mental health (NIMH), uses deep brain stimulation (DBS) technology to deliver electrical pulses to specific areas of the brain, with the aim of modulating neural activity.

The chip records brain activity and extracts biomarkers that describe the strength of brain waves and synchrony between signals from different brain regions. A machine-learning algorithm then analyzes these network-level biomarkers to distinguish cognitive and emotional states and generate stimulation triggers when specific states are detected.

The researchers evaluated LogSync using human brain recordings from previous psychiatric experiments, and in further experiments conducted in rats at the University of Minnesota, the implant tracked ongoing oscillations and generated stimulation triggers at predefined phases of brain activity. This breakthrough technology has the potential to revolutionize psychiatric therapies, particularly for mood and anxiety disorders, by enabling more targeted and adaptive treatment approaches.

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