What we are doing - Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

What is neurotechnology?

Neurotechnologies are devices and methods which can be used to monitor, record, understand and influence neural activity. By directly interacting with how neural activity affects or produces specific behaviours, neurotechnologies can treat neurological conditions.

Examples of neurotechnologies include:

Brain-computer interfaces

These devices record and stimulate the human brain and use the evoked neural activity to allow users to interact with external devices directly, for example allowing someone living with paralysis to control an electronic device such as a phone, computer, or assistive technology.

Deep brain stimulators

These devices record and stimulate the human brain, modulating specific brain activity to stop certain symptoms, for example in Parkinson’s disease, or to prevent seizures, for example in epilepsy.

Investigating, delivering and maximising the potential of neurotechnology to improve health requires unique clinical understanding, capability and skills to ensure safe, appropriate and effective use at the forefront of innovation.

At our centre, we’re leading scientific research, innovation and treatment in neurotechnology. We’re working with partners in the UK and across the world to ensure advances are made available to all those NHS patients assessed as likely to benefit.

This early access to new and emerging technologies, allows thorough research and evaluation of the latest available technologies designed to improve our understanding of the human brain, health outcomes and quality of life.

All trials are established and conducted in accordance with appropriate regulatory, legal and clinical governance frameworks.