Medtronic ($MDT) has developed a first-of-its-kind implant, pairing traditional deep-brain stimulation with sensing technology, and, after performing its first procedure, the company says the device has a chance to change the standard of care for neurological disorders.
A German Parkinson’s patient was the first to be treated with Medtronic’s Activa PC+S device, an implant that administers standard DBS therapy all while sensing and recording electrical activity in key areas of the brain, something impossible before now, the company said.
Researchers have long sought a closed-loop DBS device, one that could read brain signals and then administer stimulation to treat patient-specific needs. Activa PC+S is a milestone in the effort to create such a device, Medtronic said, giving investigators a first step toward a self-regulating brain stimulator.
