An international research team injected magnetic nanoplatelets into a targeted brain region and used them to improve movement problems in mice with Parkinson’s-like symptoms. The approach is less invasive than conventional deep brain stimulation, which relies on surgically implanted electrodes and is used for some people with Parkinson’s disease. Mechanical forces activate deep brain circuits“We use magnetic nanoparticles that we implant in the brain,” Gregurec explains. Unlike standard deep brain stimulation, the technique does not send electricity directly into the brain. “That is the very region in the brain that is also an important target for conventional deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease.”