US-HEALTH-SCIENCE-MEDICINE

Dr. Ahmed Raslan, professor of neurological surgery, demonstrates the placement of a brain implant for patient Amber Pearson, who received the implant to treat her epilepsy and Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) hospital in Portland, Oregon on January 23, 2024. Amber Pearson used to wash her hands until they bled, terrified by the idea of contamination from everyday items, a debilitating result of her obsessive compulsive disorder. But the repetitive rituals of her condition are largely consigned to memory, thanks to a revolutionary brain implant used to treat epilepsy whose power has now also been turned on OCD for the first time. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)