The Role of Neurotechnology In Mitigating Developmental Progression of Research Paper

The Role of Neurotechnology In Mitigating Developmental Progression of Brain Disease - Research Paper Example One such condition which has been studied thoroughly is congenital diaphramatic hernia2. Of recent interest is fetal investigation and therapy of neurological disorders like spina bifida which are potential candidates for fetal therapy and there is some evidence that fetal interventions, when compared to postnatal interventions can improve postnatal neurological outcomes. This study aims to ascertain the role of neurotechnological advances in mitigation of the progression of neurological disorders, through review of suitable literature. Methods In order to retrieved articles for review, the electronic databases PUBMED and Google Scholar were used. The words used for search were â€Å"fetal therapy† or â€Å"fetal intervention† or â€Å"neurotechnology† with â€Å"brain disorders of fetus†. Several articles were displayed. Based on the contents of the abstracts, some of the articles were selected and studied. Both reviews and controlled studies were picked up for this research project to gain overall information about the topic and the research aim in study. Discussion Advances in technology in the form of powerful imaging strategies and improved sampling techniques have revealed the mystery of the fetus that was once secretive3. Most of the malformations that are diagnosed prenatally are managed best by appropriate medical and surgical therapy after birth. This may required planned delivery at a tertiary care after safe maternal transport. However, a few anatomic abnormalities with predictable consequences after birth may require surgical intervention before birth itself4 . In early 1980s, developmental pathophysiology of several anomalies which were potentially correctable was ascertained in animal models.5 The natural history of these diseases was determined through serial observation among animal models. Thereafter, selection criteria for prenatal intervention were developed. In the process, various anesthetic and tocolytic regime ns were refined and protocolised and also surgical aspects of hysterotomy and fetal repair were refined and developed. In the later stages, minimally invasive techniques for fetal intervention were developed and refined. All these advances in technology have benefited several fetal patients and it is hoped that more advances are made in this novel strategy allowing advanced forms of treatment on the fetus like tissue engineering, stem cell transplantation and gene therapy in both anatomic and non-anatomic defects (Harrison, 2003).6 During the previous decade, 3 important trends pertaining to fetal therapy have emerged for congenital diaphragmatic hernia7. In the first trend, the surgeons moved away from total surgical repair of the anatomical defect, especially in those liver herniation where repair was technically difficult, and developed induction of lung growth by