Auto Drool From: Technology Review - January 2005 - page 24 Antidepressant users, AIDS and Parkinson’s-disease patients, and millions of others are plagued with "dry mouth," an annoying dearth of saliva that affects speech and sleep - and which can lead to serious infections. An international research consortium headed by Dr. Andy Wolff and an electrical engineer based in Ra'anana, Israel, has teamed up to develop a tooth-sized implant that fights dry mouth by prodding underperforming salivary glands into action. Implanted in place of a wisdom tooth, the device contains a microprocessor, a wetness sensor, and electrodes that stimulate the nearby lingual nerve, which controls saliva production. The patient can use a remote control to fine-tune the amount of stimulation the nerve receives. The researchers are now testing the prototype implant on volunteers in Italy, Spain, and Germany and hope to have a version ready for market by the middle of this year. Caption: An implant to wet your whistle. Links: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=6598 http://www.obmjournal.dk/pre_print_article_page.php?&manuscriptid=46 Dr. Andy Wolff