{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Dr. Christian Iorio-Morin - From Gamma Knife to Neuroprosthetics: The Future of Functional Neurosurgery","description":"In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek speaks with Dr. Christian Iorio-Morin, functional neurosurgeon and professor at the Universit\u00e9 de Sherbrooke, about the evolving landscape of neurosurgery\u2014from treating movement disorders and chronic pain to pushing the boundaries of paralysis recovery. Christian shares insights from his clinical work using gamma knife surgery, neuromodulation, and microvascular techniques, as well as his leadership on the RE-MOVE project, a large-scale initiative aiming to restore movement by reconnecting the brain and spinal cord through implantable technology. The conversation explores how modern neurosurgery is shifting from treating symptoms to rebuilding lost function, why many \u201cparalyzed\u201d systems still retain underlying capability, and how combining neuroscience, engineering, and patient-centered design could unlock a new generation of therapies for stroke, spinal cord injury, and beyond. Top 3 Takeaways: Most \u201cbrain stimulation\u201d treatments actually work by shutting circuits down, not activating them. Despite the name, therapies like deep brain stimulation, gamma knife, and ablation all achieve similar results by disrupting pathological neural circuits\u2014essentially \u201cjamming\u201d the signal rather than enhancing it. Innovation in neurotech is bottlenecked by lack of access to device software and hardware. Researchers often can\u2019t test new ideas because commercial devices are locked down\u2014forcing unnecessary duplication of effort and slowing progress across the field. \u201cNeuro hype\u201d is a real problem\u2014and unrealistic expectations can harm patients. Many patients overestimate what neurotechnology can do today. Setting honest expectations is critical, as current treatments improve function but rarely fully restore it. 0:55 \u2013 Do you want to introduce yourself better than I just did? 2:40 \u2013 What is Gamma Knife and how does it work? 5:20 \u2013 How does Gamma Knife compare to deep brain stimulation? 10:45 \u2013 Why do patients choose lesions over implants? 15:05 \u2013 When is neuromodulation preferred over lesion-based treatments? 20:30 \u2013 What are neural engineers getting wrong today? 21:00 \u2013 Why is it so hard to test new ideas in neuromodulation? 28:50 \u2013 Should neurostimulators be more open and accessible? 33:20 \u2013 How competition is driving innovation in neurotech 35:00 \u2013 The problem of \u201cneuro hype\u201d and unrealistic expectations ","author_name":"Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions","author_url":"http:\/\/neuralimplantpodcast.com","html":"