This is a breakthrough not just for prosthetic mobility research, but also a step forward in cracking a small code into the complex workings of the human body and how research like these could advance regenerative medicine and therapy.
Researchers from the Ohio State University and the Battle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio managed to regain movement to a partially paralyzed 24-year old man who lost full movement of his right hand during a diving incident.
The scientists were able to develop a system that allowed Ian Burkhart to now control his right wrist and hand using only his thoughts.
The system employs electrical signals transmitted from the brain which decodes the signals into movement, where the signals are routed around the spinal cord and reinserting these signals into the muscles for movement,” said Chad Bouton, whop was the first author of the study and vice president of advanced engineering at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York.
They did this by implanting electrodes in the brain with a computer interface attached to the skull and connects electrical stimulators into his right forearm.
It took some time before Burkhart was able to take control of some of his movements, as it was a bit difficult to sync his thoughts to translate into movement, but after months of practice, he was finally able to start pouring out water from a bottle, grasp small; objects and mange to swipe a card through a card reader.
“His skill has improved steadily,” Bouton said, adding that Burkhart is now able to control the movement of his individual fingers.
Robert Kirsch, chairman of the department of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University and the executive director for the Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation Center said that the same technology on Burkhart are now also being used in other research centers.
Albeit of a different approach, Kirsch said that other research groups have generated better results where they implanted the electrical stimulators in the muscles and although it required additional surgery to have it implanted surgically, it allowed for more precise movement and control of the muscles.
All the same, scientists are looking at these developments as a step forward into treating and giving hope to people suffering from paralysis.
The post New Technology Helps A Paralyzed Man Move His Arm appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB CANADA.
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