Spinal stimulation ‘could offer breakthrough for treating paralysis’

International scientists have been able to use epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord to achieve a new breakthrough in the treatment of paralysis.

Led by the University of Louisville, UCLA and the Pavlov Institute of Physiology, the research project saw four paraplegic men regain the ability to voluntarily move their legs for the first time in years.

All of the subjects suffered from chronic spinal cord injuries and were unable to move their lower extremities prior to the implantation of an epidural stimulator, which delivered a continuous electrical current to the lower spinal cord.

By mimicking signals the brain normally transmits to initiate movement, the device was able to help the patients not only move their limbs, but also bear weight, increase their muscle mass and regulate their blood pressure better.

Lead author Claudia Angeli at the Human Locomotor Research Center at Frazier Rehab Institute said: "This is groundbreaking for the entire field and offers a new outlook that the spinal cord, even after a severe injury, has great potential for functional recovery."

Spinal cord injury is one of the most common causes of paralysis, alongside stroke, head injury and multiple sclerosis.