Emerging Technologies May Help Spinal Injury Victims Walk Again

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation reports that of the nearly 6 million people who suffer paralysis in this country, 1.275 million of them have a spinal cord injury of some kind. But a new neural implant in the first stages of laboratory testing may allow those people to walk again.

The report is published in the journal Science, and is written by scientists from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Robotics. Their study of the e-Dura device claims that it is an “ultraflexible neural implant that can perform both electrical and chemical stimulation of neurons in dynamic environments.” So far, the laboratory testing is being done on mice with spinal injuries; the e-Dura device has enabled those mice to walk again for “weeks at a time.”

The work going into the e-Dura is not complete, as total and permanent mobility has not yet been achieved. But for the first time, perhaps, science has found an option worth exploring that could change the lives of millions of people throughout the country, if not the world.

The effects of paralysis

A person who is paralyzed does not only lose his or her ability to walk; that victim is at increased risk of other illnesses and injuries as well. Some of those conditions include:

• Automonic dysreflexia, a life-threatening condition caused by the overstimulation of the nervous system. High blood pressure is the most common symptom.
• Muscle damage, either to the chest (making inhalation difficult or impossible) or to the upper extremities (from the repetitive motions of using a non-electric wheelchair). Spasticity, which can present either with muscle stiffness or exaggerated reflexes, is also possible.
• Incontinence
• Depression
• Pain
• Sexual health
• Bed sores or skin irritations

The e-Dura device is designed to not only stretch and flex, but to deliver chemicals and send electrical pulses the same way our nerves do. For people suffering with paralysis, these implants would function in place of the damaged spinal cord, allowing them to regain control over their muscles once again.

We know that the e-Dura devices are a long way from human trials, if they make it to trials in the first place. The technology must be able to produce permanent results before it could be considered a viable treatment. We will be keeping close tabs on the research, so please check back with us often for updates.