06/04/2014
Electrical stimulation will allow paraplegics to walk again
An implanted device that will electrically stimulate the spinal cord could allow people paralyzed by spinal injuries to learn to walk again.
The device will be made up of thin, flexible microelectrodes that will be implanted in the spinal cord to stimulate its nerve pathways with electrical impulses. This stimulation will trigger the nerve roots to "provoke motion sequences of movements and support the motor function," potentially allowing the patient to learn to walk again.
The device will be used to help ease Parkinson's disease, providing an alternative to drugs.
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