Paralysis

A complete spinal cord injury results, tragically, in total paralysis of all limbs and muscles below the injury site. But now, scientists at EPFL have demonstrated in mice a new gene therapy that can regenerate nerves and restore the ability to walk.

While fans of Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1) may be horrified, researchers have recreated the song from brain activity. In the process, they discovered the way brains process rhythm and melody, which has huge implications for therapies.

A team of researchers, engineers and surgeons have used a novel ‘double neural bypass’ technology to restore arm movement and sensation to a quadriplegic man. It’s hoped the technology will help others affected by impaired movement or paralysis.

Australian startup Synchron, backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, looks set to beat Elon Musk's Neuralink to market with a safe, reliable brain-computer interface that any hospital can quickly install – without cutting a hole in your skull.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK have combined human stem cells with flexible electronics to create a new type of neural implant that has the potential to help amputees or those who’ve lost the use of their limbs.

Electrical spinal stimulation can help paralyzed people walk again. In a promising new clinical trial, scientists have identified the specific neurons being stimulated, and found that patients can still walk even after the implant was turned off.

In a world-first clinical trial, three babies have been born after receiving stem cell treatment for spina bifida. A stem cell patch is applied to the fetus’ spine while still developing in the womb, and early results are promising one year on.

In what is being described as a world-first, scientists in Israel have reportedly grown spinal cord implants utilizing tissue extracted from human volunteers. Those implants were then used to restore walking abilities to previously paralyzed mice.

Spinal cord injuries are among the most debilitating. In a new breakthrough study, Northwestern University researchers have developed a gel containing “dancing molecules” that allowed paralyzed mice to walk again four weeks after a single injection.

Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, a brain implant turning neural activity into full words. The first participant in the trial, a paralyzed man, can now speak with a vocabulary of 50 words by simply thinking about vocalizing words.

Although there are systems that allow physically challenged users to communicate by twitching facial muscles, for some people even those muscle movements are impossible. A new setup offers a possible alternative, however, by going into the ear.

The team behind a project known as BrainGate have made a major breakthrough, demonstrating a wireless brain-computer interface that can read and transmit neural signals at a bandwidth that is on par with wired systems.