Paralyzed patients walk again in epidural implant study — 5 insights

Three paralyzed patients regained movement in their lower limbs after receiving an electrical spinal cord stimulator, according to results published in Nature Neuroscience and detailed in Scientific American.

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Here are five things to know:

1. This is the third trial of its kind; unlike previous trials, however, two participants in this study were able to stand and walk with crutches without implant activation.

2. The implant energized electrical pulses in rhythmic patterns designed to mimic the brain and spinal cord’s natural signaling.

3. All three participants continued to improve over the five-month study period, according to co-author Grégoire Courtine, PhD.

4. Dr. Courtine built a mobile app to allow patients to turn their stimulators on or off remotely in order to train at home after the study’s conclusion. He is starting GTX Medical to promote the technology.

5. The results were not limited to walking; one patient began sweating much more, and others experienced increased sensation in their upper bodies.

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