Jack Lynch talks about the future of neurotechnology in MIT Technology Review. he zeroes in on the two developments that could prove most productive in the next two decades as basic science is applied to palliative treatment. One is neurogenesis:
Neurogenesis promises a potential preventative
or nearly cure capability. Right now what we're doing is palliative,
rather than being able to target the mechanisms and potentially regrow
neurons. But it's an area that's far out. The technology is just
getting started.
The other is the development of better neurodevices:
In the next 10 years, I think we'll start to see a combination of technologies, like maybe a brain stimulator that releases L-dopa [a treatment for Parkinson's disease]. Whether that's viable is a whole other question, but that possibility is there because of the microelectronics revolution.
The real breakthrough will come from work on new electrodes. This will transform neurostimulator applications. With these technologies, you can create noninvasive devices and target very specific parts of the brain. It's like going from a Model T to a Ferrari. Those technologies will present the real competition for drugs.