Paralysed people could walk again instantly after scientists prove brain implant works in primates

telegraph.co.uk ^ | Sarah Knapton, Science Editor

[RoosterRedux]

Paralysed people could walk again instantly after scientists developed a brain implant which turns thought into electrical signals in the spine so that lost feeling can be restored after injury.

Currently people who break their backs or suffer a spinal trauma are unable to stand or move even though their legs still work, because the signal which connects their brains to their muscles is disconnected.

But an international team of scientists have shown it is possible to bypass the injury and reconnect the brain signals to electrodes at an undamaged part of the spine.

Two monkeys who were temporarily paralysed in one leg were able to walk again instantly using the technique, which could be available for humans within a decade.

"For the first time, I can imagine a completely paralysed patient able to move their legs through this brain-spine interface, said neurosurgeon Jocelyne Bloch of the Lausanne University Hospital.

[I want the USA back]

Permit me to be skeptical about the “instantly” part.

[TheDon]

It would, no doubt, be a great workaround until they learn how to heal such injuries.

[grey_whiskers]

There goes *that* need for fetal nerve cells...

[Stevenc131]

Praying this is true and comes to fruition.

[DIRTYSECRET]

I thought it was an Obama promise in the event of a Hillary win.

[Steely Tom]

John Edwards finally finished working on it in his secret underground laboratory?

[dfwgator]

And we didn’t even have to elect John Kerry, and use embryonic stem cells to do it:

“If we do the work that we can do in this country, the work that we will do when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve will get up out of that wheelchair and walk again.” - John Edwards.

[doug from upland]

If it works, what a Godsend for those injured in war.

[rjsimmon]

Extreme Measures

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Trump’s fault.

[Jeff Chandler]

More good news!

[Svartalfiar]

Permit me to be skeptical about the “instantly” part.

Well, there is all the surgery and stuff beforehand.. but once it's installed and turned on, it should instantly work, depending on the injury. For someone with spinal damage, their legs/everything below the injury is still good, there's just no connection from the brain to tell them what to do. This device simply makes that connection, no need for physical therapy or for your body to learn/get used to it. It just relays the electrical signals that used to be there before the injury.

[usurper]

no need for physical therapy or for your body to learn/get used to it.

I humbly disagree with that part. Anyone who has paralysis suffers from massive loss of mussel mass in a short time. Rebuilding those mussels will take a long time and great effort but its still wonderful if they can pull it off.

I blew out my knee last year and had to stay off of it for a month and a half. I lost 2 inches in mussel mass in my thigh in that short time and am still working to get it back.

[apocalypto]

Ditto.

[China Clipper]

Well, there is all the surgery and stuff beforehand.. but once it's installed and turned on, it should instantly work, depending on the injury. For someone with spinal damage, their legs/everything below the injury is still good, there's just no connection from the brain to tell them what to do. This device simply makes that connection, no need for physical therapy or for your body to learn/get used to it. It just relays the electrical signals that used to be there before the injury.

With all due respects, you are making a large assumption. If the the injury JUST affected the nerves, and did NOT damage the muscles, joints or limbs, or the muscles didn't have any ATROPHY, this MAY be a possibility.

However, when treating spinal injured patients, these factors are not always present.

[SandRat]

OK, now work on the other part, people suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (tbi).