Deep brain stimulation, which uses electrical stimulation to jolt the brain in pinpointed locations, is use for treating a number of neurological and behavioral conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, severe depression, chronic pain, obsessive compulsive disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Guiding researchers’ efforts are new brain maps generated by sophisticated imaging technologies such as functional MRIs and PET scans. By recording activity in both sick and healthy people, scientists are learning how brain circuits work and discovering where significant breakdowns seem to occur.