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These Treatments Could Help Everything From OCD To Parkinson's

The targeted approach focuses on sending electrical jolts to the nervous system.
Brain activity, computer artwork.
Science Photo Library - SCIEPRO
Brain activity, computer artwork.

Treatments using targeted electricity have helped scientists find new ways to help people with neurological disorders over the past two decades.

The treatments, known as neuromodulation, have been effective in medical methods, such as deep brain stimulation. Patients are fitted with a “brain pacemaker” that sends electric jolts to neurons in the brain to ease mobility issues and help control patients’ tremors.

"You put implants into the brain to treat Parkinson's or tremor[s] and this technology is also being used to treat migraine headaches, cluster headaches and a whole range of other conditions," said Ali Rezai, the director of the Center for Neuromodulation at The Ohio State University.

In the latest episode of HuffPost's science series, "Talk Nerdy To Me," host Karah Preiss delves into neuromodulation and discusses how the targeted therapy could treat a wide range of problems like obsessive compulsive disorder, epilepsy, depression and addiction.

Check out the video above to hear why Rezai is so hopeful about the new treatments.

This video was produced by Liz Martinez, Adriane Giebel and Karah Preiss, shot by Terence Krey, Mike Caravella, Steven Gatti, Ian MacInnes and JR Cronheim and edited by Adriane Giebel.

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