Tongue zapper for brain stimulation | CBC Quirks & Quarks

[Update 9/15/19] Revisiting the PoNS, Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator Device, which stimulates the tongue, after listening to Robert J. Marks interview Dr. Yuri Danilov on the Mind Matters News podcast episode Accelerating Neuroplasticity-How Natural Brain Healing Can Be Accelerated Using Stimulation.

The device is already being used at clinics in Canada for treatment of chronic balance deficit due to mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury, and is to be used in conjunction with physical therapy.

The device is manufactured by Helius, who are in the process of re-submitting to the FDA for clearance in the U.S.

————–
Tongue zapper for brain stimulation CBC Quirks & Quarks

In clinical studies, the PoNS device coupled with targeted functional therapy induces cranial nerve noninvasive neuromodulation (CN-NINM). Therapy consists of targeted physical, occupational and cognitive exercises, based on the patient’s deficits. (The PoNS™ Device from Helius Medical)

pons2

pons3

Non-invasive neuromodulation to improve gait in chronic multiple sclerosis: a randomized double blind controlled pilot trial
Is Your Tongue The Key To A Neuroscience Breakthrough?

6 thoughts on “Tongue zapper for brain stimulation | CBC Quirks & Quarks

  1. I have a son with TBI…from anoxia….he has Parkinson like symptoms, slow speech, walking becoming so bad now in a wheelchair….just has
    D club foot surgery…trauma was 7yr ago, and he is 3yrs old now. I really want to try this with him. WE Live in the Cleveland Ohio area, where can I go?

    • Hi Cathie, sorry to hear about your son. I just checked and the Pons Device remains unavailable in the States. There are some ongoing clinical trials but I don’t see anything near Cleveland. https://heliusmedical.com/index.php/our-research/clinical-trials The trials seem to be specifically targeting balance issues. In a situation like yours, where there are multiple symptoms and a progressive nature to the disease, it would be difficult to notice slight improvements, and if a treatment were to coincide with a deterioration, you’d forever be wondering if the treatment were at fault.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *