Paralyzed man walks again thanks to innovative device that restores brain-muscle connection
The device provides a link between the brain and spinal cord, allowing thoughts to control movement.
Photo Reproduction / CHUV/Gilles Weber
In 2011, a man suffered a bicycle accident that left him paralyzed. Recently, however, there has been a significant breakthrough in his case, allowing him to regain the ability to stand up and walk with medical assistance. This progress was possible thanks to the implantation of a device capable of decoding your brain waves and transmitting precise instructions to your spine, thus allowing the movement of the appropriate muscles.
The patient
Twelve years ago, the Dutch Gert-Jan Oskam, currently 40 years old, was in a bicycle accident that resulted in paralysis in the legs and partially in the arms, due to damage to the spinal cord in her neck. Oskam was told he would never walk again. However, nowadays, he can stand and walk thanks to a device that establishes a digital connection between your brain and nerves below the injury. This technology creates a "digital bridge" that makes your progress possible.
“A few months ago I was able, for the first time in 10 years, to get up and have a beer with my friends”, says Oskam. That was really cool.
The device
A group of Swiss neuroscientists developed the "ponte digital" as part of an ongoing research program aimed at creating brain-machine interfaces to overcome paralysis. This innovative initiative seeks to establish a wireless connection between the brain and muscles that lose their functionality due to spinal cord injuries. The device known as the brain-spine interface was based on previous research by Grégoire Courtine, a neuroscientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, along with his colleagues.
In 2018, they presented evidence that this technology, in conjunction with intensive training, was effective.able to stimulate the lower region of the spine with electrical pulses and could help individuals with spinal injuries to recover their locomotion capacity. In the new system, a spinal implant Oskam's existing one, combined with two other disc-shaped implants that were inserted into his skull. These disk implants have two grids of 64 electrodes, which are positioned in contact with the membrane surrounding the brain.
The search
Although they are still in the experimental phase, electronic implants allow the wireless transmission of thoughts from Oskam to his legs and feet via a second spinal implant. In other words, when Oskam has the urge to walk, the cranial implants detect electrical activity in the cortex, which is the outer layer of the brain. This signal is then transmitted wirelessly and decoded by a computer which is in a backpack used by Oskam. Subsequently, the information is sent to a spinal pulse generator.
"The previous device was more of a pre-programmed stimulation that generated robotic stepping movements," says Courtine. Now it's completely different because Gert-Jan has full control over the stimulation parameter, which means he can stop, walk and climb stairs."
Photo Reproduction / CHUV/Gilles Weber
Rehabilitation
Oskam was able to regain the ability to move his legs and feet voluntarily after approximately 40 rehabilitation sessions using the brain-spine interface. Previously, it was not possible to perform this type of movement without spinal stimulation, indicating that training sessions with the new device resulted in greater recovery of nerve cells that were not completely affected by the injury. In addition, Oskam is now able to walk short distances without the aid of the device, as long as he uses crutches.
what is expected
According to Bruce Harland, a neuroscientist at the University of Auckland, located in New Zealand, the steady advances in spinal function represent excellent news for individuals suffering from spinal cord injuries. He points out that even when the injury is chronic and long-term, there are still several possibilities for recovery.
With evidenced advances by Oskam more than ten years after the accident, the team is optimistic that patients with more recent injuries can achieve even better results. According to Courtine, "It's been more than 10 years since Oskam's spinal cord injury. Now, imagine having the digital bridge applied just a few weeks after a spinal cord injury. The potential for recovery is extraordinary."
In the future, scientists hope that miniature devices can help stroke patients and individuals with paralysis to regain the ability to walk, move their arms and hands, as well as control other bodily functions, such as the bladder, which is often affected. by spinal cord injuries. Arm and hand movements pose an additional challenge as they are more complex than walking.
