Today, people with severe spinal cord injuries and paralysis may occur fairly in a positive prognosis for the entire loss of function, with a limited possibility for the improvement gained only through the grueling work. Current medical research on human embryonic stem cells therapy and electronic stimulation, however, may provide long-term hope that catastrophic damage already someone may mean a life of individuals and their families.
Research is carried out now in Los Angeles has developed electronic "neural bridge" rat hind legs, which are completely paralyzed. Spinal cord injury research. Edgerton, in English and graduate student Parag GAD have managed to help paralyzed rats, moving on all fours again.
More research is necessary to carry out before the technique can be moved forward to human development, but Los Angeles study shows a great deal of promise to assist people suffering from injuries to the spinal cord and other forms of paralysis.
Los Angeles ' Neural bridge "paralyzed rats playlist allows
After spinal cord injury major brain cannot communicate with the muscles through the spinal cord, which is why some injuries to the spinal cord cause paralysis. However, the researchers say that even after complete severing of the spinal cord, the body keeps neural "connection" to allow the spinal cord to send messages to the muscles.
The spinal cord and muscles retain the ability to perform complex functions such as walking and the sequence of movements required for walking is "stored" in the spinal cord-it does not require conscious thoughts. Only problem is that, after an injury to the spinal cord, brain cannot tell the spinal cord and muscles to begin.
Signals coming from the brain, is not to enable this muscle and then this muscle and then this muscle, "says Edgerton. "Is to activate the program, which is built into the scheme. Message comes from the brain telling step. The spinal cord is know what moved; He simply must be told to do so. "
Edgerton and Badass attach "neural bridge" electrodes placed on the outer membrane of the spine. Bridge, combined with muscle stimulation technique called electromyography (EMG), says spinal cord, brain what would say: "start walking."
Even more exciting, Edgerton and GAD have created a system where the trigger for the rat hind legs to start walking is keyed their attempt to walk with their front legs.
EMG is already being used to help amputees their Prosthetic limbs, but Edgerton and Badass were able to create even rhythmic gait, which go beyond what is achieved by stimulating the muscles directly by EMG.
"We want to see what kind of strategies can be used for the patient to be able to control when to turn it on and when to turn it off," says Edgerton. "[GAD] has developed the system so that the rat is control. It does not necessarily know that control, but when it moves the forelimbs, rear limbs will be included. "
Source: review of the technology, "helps drive paralyzed rats Walk again," Lauren Gravitz, 3 December 2010
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