Scientists have developed a revolutionary new method to help paralysed rats learn to walk again, raising hope that a similar technique could be developed for paralysed humans. Swiss scientists were able to help the rats walk again through a combination of spinal cord stimulation, a cocktail of
drugs injected directly into the spine of the rats and robotic-aided therapy.
The lead researcher Professor Gregoire Courtine of The International Paraplegic Foundation in Spinal Cord Repair conducted the studyand explained how the treatment worked and how the rats ended up being able torun and walk again.
While the scientists understand that human spinal injuries differ greatly from those of rats. They are hoping to launch a similar project with the goal of designing a fully operative spinal Neuro Prosthetic system,which is designed to 'wake up the spinal brain' and restore voluntary movement,which could then be implanted into humans. Professor Courtine stressed this was
movement . Professor Courtine stressed, was not a cure for spinal injuries, but an exciting new development.
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Written and presented by Ann Salter