In just a day after they got their implants, three paralyzed patients managed to walk without support. This phenomenon happened with the help of electrodes that send signals to their legs.
Many circumstances can lead to paralysis, and one of the most common reasons is accidents. Michel Roccati, one of the patients in the program, said he had a motorcycle accident in 2017 that left him paralyzed waist down. Now, more than four years after his accident, he was given a second chance to walk.
Spinal Stimulation Device: The Spinal Cord Implants
Sources from Smithsonian Magazine explained the details of the spinal stimulation device. They said a surgically-implanted electrode was sending electricity to the patient's legs in order for them to move.
For reference, action commands like "sit," "stand," and "move," are actually signals sent by the brain. Unfortunately for the victims, their accident severed that connection, which caused paralysis to the lower half of their bodies.
Researchers theorized that if they managed to send similar signals, the paralyzed legs could still move. They tested this by implanting flexible electrodes between the patient's spinal nerves and vertebrae, which will send the new signals for moving.
Note that the movements are controlled on a separate tablet screen. With this, the patient or doctor can control the pulse, activate the muscles and command the limb's movement. Depending on the signals emitted, the legs can do muscle activities like moving or walking. Researchers proposed that patients could even "walk, pedal, and swim" through the gadget.
Can a Paralyzed Man Walk?
According to Smithsonian Magazine, the research had three participants ages 29, 32, and 41. All of them got paralyzed through motorcycle accidents, and all of them had at least "six centimeters of healthy spinal cord below their injury." After the operation, patients were given training about the electrodes, the command tablet screen, and their legs.
Researchers noticed that patients still struggled with their walk, and concluded that training can help them achieve a "more fluid gait."
Roccati shared some of the details of his training. He said that he trains every day for about two hours to improve the quality and speed of his steps. At the time of the interview, he could walk around 50 to 100 meters, however, he aims to reach one kilometer before the end of summer. Roccati commented about his success, saying "I'm free (and) I can walk wherever I want to."
Spinal Cord Stimulation Studies
CNN recorded some of the most memorable comments dropped by participating researchers. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology researcher Grégoire Courtine told them that "for the first time, we have not only immediate effect -- though training is still important -- but also individuals with no sensation, no movement whatsoever, have been able to regain full standing and walking independently of the laboratory."
The study is still ongoing, so the spinal cord implants are not yet available to the public. Interested fans are recommended to watch out for more updates, which can drop later this year.
