Mind power moves paralysed limbs

Scientists have demonstrated that it is possible to gain control of the brain signals and redirect them to make paralyzed limbs move. “The hope is to develop implantable circuits for humans without the need for robotic limbs” Nature reports. This technology gives hope to people with spinal damage since it bypasses the injuries that prevent the nerve signals to travel from the brain to the muscle. A team from the University of Washington has tested their “brain-machine interfaces” in monkeys. In spinal cord injuries, the nerves that connect the brain to the muscles are damaged, but the muscles and the part of the brain that controls the movement are not. Studies suggest that people who have paralysis in their limbs can control the neurons responsible of commanding movements, even after several years of paralysis. With a device called brain-machine interface Dr Chet Moritz redirected the motor cortex control signals from paralyzed monkeys to their arm muscles. The device converts the nerve signals into electrical impulses that stimulate the muscles to contract. The monkeys were able to tense their muscles in their paralyzed arm. Scientists found that monkeys could learn to use any motor cortex nerve cell that controls the stimulation, and that their control over the muscles improved with practice. They report it is also possible to use similar techniques to stimulate walking. Researchers say that trails have to be done in humans, which means that the treatment could be decades away. This technology also needs to be improved. The device communicates only in one direction, so it lacks the important sensory feedback that enables fine control of the movements.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7669159.stm