Bypassing Paralyzed Nerves

New research has shown that scientists may have found a primitive way to connect animal’s muscles to a single neuron. By electronically connecting a monkeys forearm to it’s brain, it was able to regain motion in an otherwise paralyzed limb. An electrode was implanted into the brain picked up the signal of a single neuron. The monkey then learned to control the activity of that neuron to regain control of the wrist. This experiment proved successful even if the neuron was in a sensory part of the brain rather than one that controls muscle movement. This experiment marks the remarkable flexibility of the brain as well as the first time an animals brain has been electronically linked to it’s muscles. This artificial connection is hoped to be able to replace nerve signals that are blocked in paralyzed patients.

This experiment was performed to show the possibility of completing such a loft goal. However, there is still much research to be done. Skeptics argue that this procedure may not be suitable for restoring motion to paralyzed individuals due to the vast complexity of muscle coordination that was needed. In the aforementioned experiment, the monkey was only able to control two of the muscles in the forearm, allowing for a motion similar to that of revving up a motorcycle. Simple, everyday activities require the use of numerous muscles, each of which would have to be consciously controlled by the individual. This technique would ultimately prove very difficult to train.
Scientists have already been successful in connecting the monkey’s brain to a robotic arm. The monkeys neural activity while using it’s natural arm was observed and decoded, then connected to a robotic arm that would adapt to the monkey. This allowed for the monkey to will the movement of the arm, rather than having controlling each individual aspect. The processing of all this information takes quite a fast computer however. The goal is to ultimately to be able to interpret a signal neuron with chips that can be implanted into the patient. Although this technology is quite a ways off, hope is slowly rising for paralyzed individuals seeking to move again.

Michael Whitely VTTP 434 502