Latest news with #medicalbreakthrough
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Neuralink's first female patient reveals shocking effect of brain chip
A woman who has been fully paralyzed for the last 20 years has regained the ability to use a computer, marking a world-first for Elon Musk's company, Neuralink. Thanks to Neuralink's revolutionary implant, Audrey Crews revealed on X how she was able to write her name on a computer screen. 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it. Lol,' Crews posted on X while showing the world her first attempt at a signature since 2005. Using the brain-computer interface (BCI), the implant recipient chose a purple-colored cursor pen to write the name 'Audrey' on the screen in cursive script. The Louisiana resident was severely injured in a car accident at the age of 16, damaging the C4 and C5 vertebrae in her neck, and leaving her a quadriplegic with no feeling in her arms and legs. The Neuralink procedure implanted a small quarter-sized device on Crews' motor cortex this month, letting her control a computer with her mind. In her posts on X following the surgery, Crews revealed how she has been able to draw pictures, write words, scroll with a mouse, and use a keyboard all through the power of her mind. Responding to the positive feedback she's received on social media, Crews said she felt liberated, and she's even started taking requests on what to draw next as the pictures act as practice for her while using the implant. Musk, the CEO of Spacex and Tesla, co-founded Neuralink in 2016 with a group of experts in the fields of neuroscience, engineering, and robotics. There goal was to merge human intelligence with AI, treat brain disorders, and potentially enhance human ability in the future. In 2019, Musk revealed the N1 implant, the small device placed on the brain to read and translate electrical signals into actions, like moving a cursor on a computer screen. Crews became the ninth person to undergo the groundbreaking procedure, which has allowed patients with severe paralysis or neurological conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to control electronic devices through telepathy. 'I am the first women in the world to do this,' Crews added on X. 'Imagine your pointer finger is left click and the cursor [movement] is with your wrist, without physically doing it. Just a normal day using telepathy,' she explained while showing off her latest drawings on Sunday. The Neuralink patient has been able to draw hearts, flowers, rainbows, and even some faces while pushing the cursor with her thoughts sent to the N1 implant. Crews' surgery at University of Miami Health Center involved drilling a hole into her skull, so surgeons could place 128 threads smaller than a human hair into her motor cortex. Working on my accuracy and speed. #Neuralink — Audrey Crews (@NeuraNova9) July 26, 2025 The threads carried over 1,000 electrodes which detect electrical signals, or neuron spikes, produced by brain cells when a person thinks about moving. Each thought creates a unique pattern of brain activity. The implant is powered by a small battery that charges wirelessly. It sends the neuron spikes to a computer or smartphone running Neuralink's software via Bluetooth, which is then translated into commands on the computer. Asked by one person on X if she ever thought she would be able to do anything like this again, Crews replied: 'Not in all my wildest dreams, but the future is here.' Musk also replied to a post about Crews' story, saying: 'She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realize this is possible.' The first female Neuralink patient noted that the BCI won't give her the ability to walk again or regain any movement in her limbs, but she is hoping this breakthrough will allow her to write a book about her journey. 'I've been a quadriplegic since the age of 16, so I have lots to tell,' Crews explained. The N1 implant is still in early trials and its long-term safety and effectiveness are being tested. The first person to use the N1 implant, Noland Arbaugh, saw the threads to his motor cortex retract, requiring Neuralink to adjust the device in order for it to maintain connection with the quadriplegic patient's brain. At the moment, Musk's dream of these implants enhancing human ability is still in the planning phase. They can't 'read thoughts' beyond specific movement tasks, like moving the cursor on a screen. For Crews and the other eight patients so far, however, it's given them back a piece of their independence they thought was lost forever.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Gut Instinct
Introduced by Australian Story presenter Leigh Sales. When Jane Dudley's partner Alex first suggested treating her crippling mental health disorder with faecal transplants, she was grossed out. Now she's a true believer and the medical world is taking notice. Airs Monday July 28, 8:00pm (AEST), on ABCTV and ABC iview.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Human Babies Aren't Supposed to Have 3 Parents—but Now They Can
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: The first babies with three biological parents were born out of a new technique to prevent mitochondrial disease. The nucleus of an egg fertilized in vitro was transferred into a donor egg without a nucleus, but with viable mitochondria. Eight healthy babies, including a set of twins, were born with low to undetectable levels of mitochondrial mutations. The only creatures known to conceive offspring from more than two parents are salamanders. Females from the genus Ambystoma (which are notoriously promiscuous) mate with up to three different males, and that DNA is then incorporated into what is known as a triploid genome in their offspring. Now a version of this has become possible in humans. It seems limb regeneration isn't the only way medical intervention can put humans on salamanders' level. Being born with three genomes is not a phenomenon that occurs naturally in Homo sapiens, but in an attempt to prevent certain genetic conditions caused by mutations in the mitochondria, scientists have found a way. Mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA is exclusively passed down from the maternal side. Dysfunction in the mitochondria can lead to metabolic diseases characterized by symptoms such as seizures, developmental delays, blindness, and loss of muscular function. Some can even be fatal. Mitochondrial diseases occur in about 1 in every 5,000 people. They were previously only preventable by using a donor egg or foregoing the conception of biological children altogether. This is why pediatric neurologist Bobby McFarland, of Newcastle University in the UK, led an experimental study that would reduce and potentially eliminate the risk of mitochondrial disease with a new method of in vitro fertilization. McFarland and his research team wanted see if removing the nucleus of an egg and placing it in a donor egg with viable mitochondria would result in healthy offspring. 'We found that pronuclear transfer, a form of mitochondrial donation, was effective in reducing the level of pathogenic mtDNA variant to substantially below the threshold for clinical disease in the offspring of women with homoplasmic (or high heteroplasmic) levels,' he said in a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. When mitochondria are homoplasmic, all copies produced by cell division have mutations. Mutation levels vary in heteroplasmic mitochondria. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) can screen for these abonormalities, and women with homoplasmy or high levels of heteroplasmy can benefit from what is now known as pronuclear transfer. This involves eggs from both the mother and donor being fertilized with the father's sperm in vitro. Nuclei are then removed from both eggs after ten hours. Since the nucleus carries most genetic material and has no connection to mitochondrial disease, the mother's nucleus is implanted into the donor egg to take advantage of its mitochondria. While there is a chance that a few of the mother's mitochondria may end up in the embryo, it is unlikely to cause a debilitating disease. Levels of defective mitochondria in offspring conceived via pronuclear transfer were low enough to escape that fate. Eight pregnancies (including a set of twins) resulted from the experiment, and while there were a few minor health problems in the newborns, these were either treatable or corrected themselves. Not only were levels of heteroplasty low for the babies, but undetectable in five of them. Developmental progress also turned out to be normal. Though one baby had a form of infant epilepsy, and another had heart arrhythmia and hyperlipidemia, or high levels of fats and lipids in the blood, both of these conditions were treated and resolved. Whether the hyperlipidemia was even caused by mtDNA is uncertain, especially because the mother also had severe hyperlipidemia during her pregnancy. Though there was a chance that any of the mothers with pathogenic mtDNA had a higher risk of complications during pregnancy, which could possibly cause their children to have health issues, there is no proof for now. 'We are assessing, over the long term, the health and extent of heteroplasmy (if detectable) of the offspring,' McFarland and his team said. 'Indeed, the role of mitochondrial donation as a choice for women with a heritable pathogenic mtDNA variant will only be established with the availability of additional data.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50 Solve the daily Crossword
Arab News
21-07-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Saudi conjoined twins' health stable days after separation surgery, chief program doctor confirms
RIYADH: Eight-month-old Saudi conjoined twins who were separated last week by Saudi surgeons from the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program remain in stable condition, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah confirmed on Monday. Al-Rabeeah, who heads the program's medical and surgical team and serves as the supervisor general of KSrelief, said that conjoined twins Yara and Lara are showing positive signs of healing after undergoing surgery last week at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. 'All the twins' vital signs have returned to normal, and they remain on artificial respiration in the intensive care unit,' he said. 'Their intestinal functions have begun to resume, and nutrition will gradually be introduced through a nasogastric feeding tube. The twins are under close observation and are receiving antibiotics to prevent infection,' he added. Al-Rabeeah noted that the surgical wounds are healing well and expressed hope that artificial respiration could be discontinued within the next four days, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Yara and Lara were conjoined at the lower abdomen and pelvis, sharing parts of the small intestine, colon, urinary, and reproductive systems, as well as a pelvic bone. They were born on Nov. 5, 2024, weighing a total of 10 kg, with independent upper and lower limbs. The surgery on July 17 lasted 12.5 hours over nine stages. It involved a team of 38 specialists, including pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, urologists, plastic surgeons, orthopedists and other support staff. The Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has assessed 150 cases from 27 countries over 35 years, separating 65 of those cases. Yara and Lara are the 16th successful separation of Saudi twins among 45 nationals that the program has examined, the SPA added.
Fox News
19-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
AI robot performs gallbladder surgery autonomously
Robots trained by watching expert surgeons can now perform complex operations with little human help. This breakthrough is happening right now. For the first time, an autonomous surgical robot completed a key phase of gallbladder removal on a lifelike patient. It worked independently and adapted in real time to unexpected challenges. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my Unlike previous surgical robots that followed rigid, pre-programmed instructions, the new system, named Surgical Robot Transformer-Hierarchy (SRT-H), was trained using hours of surgery videos. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University fed the robot visual data and captions describing each step of the procedure. This approach allowed SRT-H to learn the sequence and nuances of gallbladder surgery, including identifying ducts and arteries, placing clips and making precise cuts. What sets SRT-H apart is its ability to respond to voice commands from the surgical team. For example, the robot can understand instructions like "grab the gallbladder head" or "move the left arm a bit to the left." This interactive feedback loop enables the robot to learn and self-correct, much like a surgical resident guided by a mentor. During trials, SRT-H demonstrated remarkable adaptability. It performed the 17-step gallbladder removal process with 100% accuracy, even when researchers altered its starting position or changed the appearance of tissues using blood-like dyes. The robot's performance matched that of skilled human surgeons, handling unexpected scenarios with composure and precision. "This advancement moves us from robots that can execute specific surgical tasks to robots that truly understand surgical procedures," said Axel Krieger, lead researcher at Johns Hopkins University. Traditional surgical robots have made procedures less invasive, but they still rely heavily on human control. The autonomous surgical robot represents a step forward by combining mechanical precision with the ability to adapt and make decisions in real time. This technology could one day lead to fully autonomous surgeries, potentially improving outcomes and expanding access to high-quality surgical care worldwide. The success of SRT-H in gallbladder surgery is just the beginning. Researchers plan to train the robot on a wider range of procedures and further enhance its capabilities. The ultimate goal is a robot that can perform entire surgeries autonomously, adapting to the unique anatomy and challenges of each patient. If you've ever faced a long wait for surgery or worried about human error in the operating room, this breakthrough could directly affect your care. Autonomous surgical robots like SRT-H promise faster procedures, fewer complications and better access, especially in rural or underserved areas. With their ability to learn from real surgeries and adjust in real time, these robots could support overworked surgical teams and help reduce burnout. For patients, that means more consistent outcomes and shorter recovery times. While fully autonomous surgery isn't available in U.S. hospitals just yet, the technology is moving fast. What happened in a research lab today could be part of your next hospital visit sooner than you think. The arrival of autonomous surgical robots is changing medicine fast. By combining artificial intelligence, machine learning and real-time feedback, these robots are ready to transform the operating room. As this technology improves, the gap between human skill and robotic precision will continue to shrink. This shift promises a future where surgery is safer and more efficient than ever before. If a robot can perform surgery with the skill of a top surgeon, would you trust an AI machine to operate on you or your loved ones? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
