User:Jesse Shearin/Sandbox

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Cognitive Prostheses
Cognitive prostheses seek to restore cognitive function to individuals with brain tissue loss due to injury, disease, or stroke by performing the function of the damaged tissue with integrated circuits.

Obstacles
The theory of localization states that brain functions are localized to a specific portion of the brain. (Cit. Needed) However, recent studies on brain plasticity suggest that the brain is capable of rewiring itself so that an area of the brain traditionally associated with a particular function (i.e. Auditory Cortex) can perform functions associated with another portion of the brain (i.e. Auditory Cortex doing Visual processing). Cognitive functions are carried out via population coding by many neural cells. Decoding these signals is a key first step in developing cognitive prostheses.

Local Field Potentials
Recent studies suggest goals and expected value are high-level cognitive functions that can be used for neural cognitive prostheses.

Automated Movable Electrical Probes
Electrical inactivation of the tissue adjacent to an implanted electrode, an immune response, or movement of the electrode relative to the target brain tissue due to impact/shock could hinder signal strength or quality. A movable probe could be manually adjusted to ensure signal strength and quality, but would prove tedious and time consuming. A better solution is the development of an automated movable electrode that would monitor the surroundings and reposition itself as necessary, maintaining the integrity of the signal.