Researchers have announced a groundbreaking achievement in which a paralysed man has regained the ability to walk smoothly through the use of his thoughts. The breakthrough was made possible by two implants that restored communication between the man’s brain and spinal cord.
The patient, Gert-Jan Oskam, suffered a spinal cord injury in a bicycle accident over a decade ago, leaving him paralysed in his legs. However, with the help of a new system, he can now walk naturally, navigate challenging terrain, and even climb stairs. The findings of this remarkable achievement were published in the journal Nature.
The development is the result of more than ten years of collaborative research by teams in France and Switzerland. Last year, the team demonstrated the efficacy of a spinal cord implant in enabling three paralysed patients to walk again. However, those patients had to manually press a button to initiate leg movement.
In Mr Oskam’s case, the combination of the spinal implant with a brain-computer interface has revolutionized his mobility. The brain-computer interface, implanted above the region of the brain responsible for leg movement, utilizes algorithms based on artificial intelligence methods to decode real-time brain recordings. This enables the interface, developed by researchers at France’s Atomic Energy Commission, to interpret the patient’s intention to move their legs at any given moment.
The data is then transmitted to the spinal cord implant via a portable device that can be worn in a walker or backpack. This enables patients to move independently without assistance from others. The two implants work in unison, creating a “digital bridge” to reconnect the communication between the spinal cord and the brain that was severed during Mr Oskam’s accident.
Mr Oskam expressed his excitement, stating that he can now move freely based on his own decisions. With just a thought of taking a step, the stimulation kicks in immediately. The journey to this achievement involved two invasive surgeries for implanting the devices, but the impact has been transformative. Mr Oskam can now enjoy simple pleasures like standing at a bar with friends and having a beer.
The researchers behind this remarkable breakthrough, led by neuroscientist Gregoire Courtine at Switzerland’s Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, are now preparing for further studies. They plan to investigate whether this technology can restore function in the arms and hands. Additionally, they hope that this advancement can be applied to other conditions such as paralysis caused by stroke.
While the availability of this technology to paralyzed individuals worldwide may still be years away, the progress achieved so far offers hope for significant advancements in restoring mobility and independence for those living with paralysis.