Brain Implants for people with serious brain damage

A New York Times article "Brain Implants Helped 5 People Toward Recovery After Traumatic Injuries" discusses the brain stimulation for people who had serious brain damage but didn't fully recover. They stimulated the central lateral nucleus, it is a thin sheet of neurons about the size and shape of an almond shell. The human brain has two such structures, one in each hemisphere. They seem to help the brain quiet itself at night for sleep and rev up the brain in the morning. Stimulating the neurons in these regions can wake up a sleeping rat, Dr. Schiff’s research has shown. These studies raised the possibility that stimulating the central lateral nuclei might help people with traumatic brain injuries regain their focus and attention.