Fighting Paralysis With Electricity 56
the_newsbeagle writes "In spinal cord injuries, the brain's commands can't reach the lower body — so in a ground-breaking experiment at the University of Louisville, researchers are providing artificial commands via electrodes implanted in the spine. The first paralyzed people to try out the tech have already been able to stand on their own, and have regained some bowel and sexual function. A video that accompanies the article also shows paralyzed rats that were able to walk again with this kind of electrical stimulation."
Re:So they are moving up the wiring eh? (Score:4, Informative)
The spinal cord is much more than a mere conduit. By moving the stimulation up, you get the advantage of using the low level processing ability of the spinal cord. That means automatic compensation for shifting weight. For example, if someone puts something in your outstretched hand, the added tension in the tendons signals the spinal cord to increase muscle contraction to compensate so your hand doesn't drop. It seems to also have more complex functions to coordinate muscle groups.
In addition, the spinal cord has access to the sensory nerves. The patient can't feel foot pressure, but the spinal cord can process it in the act of stepping.