Release date: 2016-11-11
For more than 10 years, neuroscientist Gregoire Curtina has flew back and forth between Lausanne and Beijing every month because his Swiss laboratory is at the Federal Institute of Technology and also directs a laboratory in Beijing to conduct research. His research project is to treat spinal cord injuries and the animals used are monkeys.
Chur is often very fortunate. Sometimes he flies to Beijing and conducts experiments on the same day. He flies back to Switzerland that night. Chur said that it is worthwhile to use monkey experiments in China without the strict supervision of Europe and the United States. This week, he and the team reported the latest experimental results in Beijing. The brain's signal transmitters, by stimulating the spinal cord wireless stimulation electrodes, enabled the spinal cord injury monkeys to restore their ability to control the muscles of the lower limbs, enabling the high paraplegic monkeys to regain their walking ability. Simply put, spinal cord injury causes the brain to dominate the function of lower limb motor neurons. This study links the brain and spinal motor neurons through artificial wireless signals and achieves basic functions. Spinal cord injury treatment is a medical problem because the central nervous system is a difficult tissue to regenerate, and once it is damaged, it is often paralyzed. Scientists conduct research from three aspects. One is to try to repair the damaged spinal cord itself. This idea is simple and rude, but it is very difficult. The other is through the exoskeleton, which is to create a portable mechanical walking stick for the patient. This has made good progress. The latest development is the third strategy, which uses artificial wireless signals to reconstruct the connection between the brain and the spinal cord.
Studies have shown that awkward monkeys can not only restore the ability to walk, but also can bear weight, which is critical for functional recovery. The neuroscientist Gaurav Sharma of the Battle Memorial Institute praised: "This is a great job!" He once restored the paralyzed patient's arm movement.
This technology is a great news for paralyzed patients. Chur has started clinical trials in Switzerland and has given a simple version of similar treatment to two patients.
Chad Bouton, a bioengineer at the Vanstein Institute of Medicine, is a scientist who studies the exoskeleton system. He believes that this study opens a new pathway for clinical research on new bioelectric stimulation technology and provides a new potential treatment strategy for paralyzed patients.
This research began with more than 10 years of experimental experience in rats, and the latest monkey experiments validated the results of the rat study. Start with a healthy monkey, study the brain to send electrical signals to the leg muscles and let the monkeys walk on the treadmill. They also studied the lumbar spine, which is the transfer station for brain signals to the leg muscles. Then they cut off the monkeys in the spinal cord and re-create these signals with radio. The monkey brain is implanted with a microelectrode array. The electrodes collect brain neuron signals, analyze signals related to lower limb movements, and then transmit these signals to be accepted by receptors near the spine. The receiver emits signals that stimulate the lower limb muscle motor neurons. Achieve the purpose of controlling the movement of the lower limbs.
"When we watched the monkey stand up and walk, the whole team screamed in the room!" Chur said. They have experienced many failures during the research. Although the rhythm of the monkey's movement is still not perfect, the monkey's feet are no longer dragged and can support their own weight, which is already a great breakthrough. In the next step, they will continue to work hard, so that the monkeys can not only walk, but also can carry obstacles around the obstacles. I wish them an early realization of their wishes and bring revolutionary treatment techniques to a large number of patients.
Scientists work day and night for human health. As an ordinary person, maintaining good health is the basic obligation of everyone. Only in this way is the greatest reward for scientists and their loved ones.
Original English
Nature
"Conceptual and technological design of the brain–spine interface"
Source: Science Network
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