An important finding has been made by a group of scientists from the University of Wisconsin, who found a way in which a brain could be reactivated in a person in a coma.
But how could something like this be achieved? The experts dedicated themselves to studying an area in the brain called Thalamus, where the state of consciousness would develop.
In it, a small area of only millimeters long has been discovered in which, when it was stimulated in brains of monkeys that were under that state, it could wake up and keep them conscious.
Brain and coma
Various scanners suggested to the researchers this important finding, where it could be an important step for one day to be applied in human beings that unfortunately remain in this state of consciousness.
To perform the activation of the area, the researchers inserted a series of electrodes into the brain of the monkeys, managed to record activity in them in different parts of their brain structure. It was at that time that they identified the area called the Central Lateral Thalamus.
As a later measure, they applied an approach called Deep Lateral Stimulation in macaques that were anesthetized, in order to begin to administer deep electrical pulses in this region. This mechanism manages to activate the brain through a group of electrodes that are inserted after an operation.
In the words of the team of experts “Two seconds after starting the stimulation in the monkeys, the animals gradually began to open their eyes, make various body movements and also achieve goals, looking in the room as if out of anesthesia completely, despite continuing under this effect. “
After finishing the stimulation process, the monkey went back to sleep immediately. The study was a success for the research team, who will now focus on doing more tests and certifications to be applied in the near future in humans.