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New Hope for Paralyzed Patients

ChrisL

ChrisL

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I just thought this was awesome news and haven't seen any other threads on it, so I thought I'd post it. An electronic stimulater that stimulates nerves and muscles in the spine, and this little device has actually enabled 6 paralyzed men to be able to move again. :) Hopefully, with some more research and development, they can help many paralyzed people.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823290

The study included 4 men, average age 26.9 years, with a spinal cord injury incurred at least 2 years before the study. Their injuries ranged in neurologic level from C7 to T5. None were able to stand or walk independently or voluntarily move their lower extremities despite standard-of-care rehabilitation and additional intense locomotor training.

Researchers implanted a stimulator into the abdomen of each patient. The stimulator was originally developed for use in pain but was refined for use as an epidural spinal cord stimulator.

The investigators also implanted a 16-electrode array over vertebrae T11 to T12, where the locomotor sensors are located, said Dr. Angeli. The electrodes were placed in the same location in all patients, regardless of the location of their injury.

Each patient had an individually programmed device that they simply placed over the abdomen to initiate stimulation. There was a separate program for the left and for the right leg.

With stimulation and with auditory and visual cues, the patients could execute intentional movements of the legs. Dr. Angeli emphasized that such movements required "very precise motor control."
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ChrisL said:
I just thought this was awesome news and haven't seen any other threads on it, so I thought I'd post it. An electronic stimulater that stimulates nerves and muscles in the spine, and this little device has actually enabled 6 paralyzed men to be able to move again. :) Hopefully, with some more research and development, they can help many paralyzed people.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823290
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What a wonderful advancement!!!! Just imagine . . .
 
MaggieD said:
What a wonderful advancement!!!! Just imagine . . .
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It's great news! It probably won't help every paralyzed person, but if it can help some people, that's a great medical advancement and who knows where it could lead? :)
 
ChrisL said:
It's great news! It probably won't help every paralyzed person, but if it can help some people, that's a great medical advancement and who knows where it could lead? :)
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My first thought is whether or not Christopher Reeves' many donations and support of this research had anything to do with it.
 
ChrisL said:
I just thought this was awesome news and haven't seen any other threads on it, so I thought I'd post it. An electronic stimulater that stimulates nerves and muscles in the spine, and this little device has actually enabled 6 paralyzed men to be able to move again. :) Hopefully, with some more research and development, they can help many paralyzed people.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823290
Click to expand...

Hmmm...does it only work on the back?
 
MaggieD said:
My first thought is whether or not Christopher Reeves' many donations and support of this research had anything to do with it.
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When I watched it on the news this morning, I did notice one of the men wearing a Reeves T-shirt, so that is a very good possibility.
 
Yes, I saw that. The medical people seem quite hopeful. It would certainly be a worthwhile advancement.
 
MaggieD said:
Do you ever not equate something to sex, Gipper? Really?? There's something wrong with you.
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Sex? I was talking about the tongue. Didn't you ever used to stick your tongue on a 9 volt battery and feel the cool tingle?
 
Gipper said:
Hmmm...does it only work on the back?
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I think it will work on anything they can physically hotwire and send a current through. Seen them do this to rats and they were able to walk again.
 
Science is just ****ing cool.
 
This has awesome potential, simply awesome!
 
ChrisL said:
I just thought this was awesome news and haven't seen any other threads on it, so I thought I'd post it. An electronic stimulater that stimulates nerves and muscles in the spine, and this little device has actually enabled 6 paralyzed men to be able to move again. :) Hopefully, with some more research and development, they can help many paralyzed people.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823290
Click to expand...

Sounds promising.

Obviously a breakthrough and a long ways off from being made practical. Lets hope they can continue to improve it
 
This is great news and I am hopeful this will advance and be offered up to many patients. I have several friends with paralysis from sports related accidents that could truly benefit from this.
 
Soupnazi630 said:
Sounds promising.

Obviously a breakthrough and a long ways off from being made practical. Lets hope they can continue to improve it
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I dunno with the rats it was pretty dramatic recovery. Stem cells or something like that in the broken spots and manually sending the jolts to the right parts of the legs right when they needed to be jolted. With a machine moving the rats hind quarters. They put cheese ahead of it so its brain was always thinking about walking forward. I bet after they develope a core rebuild they can even start and stop the walking based on paying attention to the treateds impulses and rebuilding finer motor skills.
 
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