British scientists have for the first time successfully cured paralysis of the arms.
They restored the ability to grasp with a paralyzed hand using spinal cord stimulation.
There is currently no cure for upper limb paralysis, where there has been damage to the nerves which send messages to the muscles from the brain, such as happens after a stroke or spinal injury.
But now researchers at Newcastle University, working with macaque monkeys, have shown that by connecting the brain to a computer and then the computer to the spinal cord, it is possible to restore movement. The discovery opens up the possibility of new treatments within the next few years which could help stroke victims or those with spinal cord injuries regain some movement in their arms and hands.
The team first trained the primates to grasp and pull a spring-loaded handle. The monkeys were then temporarily paralyzed using a drug that wore off after about two hours. During that time the monkey had no movement in their hand and was unable to grasp, even though most of the brain was functioning normally. But when the stimulation circuit was switched on the monkey was able to control its own arm and pull the handle.
Dr Andrew Jackson from Newcastle University and Dr Jonas Zimmermann, now at Brown University, led the research.
