Question by kae: What is the most recent MAJOR advance in neuroscience or a related field?
It has to be very major, like completely game-changing, OR something that solved a large problem in neuroscience (like research that helped find the cure for an entire disorder). Preferably an invention, technique, etc. that is something many people know of (if not many people, people who know about neurology/neuroscience). The MRI machine would be perfect because it’s now vital in the field and related fields, but it needs to be something that happened after the year 2000. Thanks!
Best answer:
Answer by GaryR
The most significant advance in Neuroscience is they have discovered that if you read your homework assignments and do your own research, you actually learn something and pass your tests. You also get A’s in school. You don’t get them by asking other people to do your homework. Start reading.
What do you think? Answer below!
First, I want to agree with GaryR but I will give you a few ideas to research. My first suggestion is TPA (tissue plasminogen activator) which was developed for stroke patients. It is a protein which break down blood clots in the arteries of the brain which is one of the causes of stroke. The second cause of stroke is a hemorrhage caused by a rupture of an artery in the brain. Because clotting is beneficial in this type of stroke TPA makes things worse so doctors have to do a brain scan to determine which it is before using TPA.
Scanning is another very important advance. This includes fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) which can detect the level of blood flow in various parts of the brain. Scientists use this to examine which region of the brain is activated given a particular task for example, reading, doing math etc.). The other imaging advance, although not that recent, is PET (Positron Emission Tomography) imaging. This uses a particular type of radionuclide which can be attached to a specific chemical or drug and the detector, which is not unlike and MRI except for the detectors, and examine where the compound goes in the brain. If radioactively labeled glucose (blood sugar) is used you get similar results to fMRI but there are other compounds that can be used.