Neuroprosthetics for Paralysis: New Implant on the Spinal Cord
From: Bioscience - 01/08/2015
By: Lionel Pousaz

EPFL scientists have managed to get rats walking on their own again using a
combination of electrical and chemical stimulation. But applying this method
to humans would require multifunctional implants that could be installed for
long periods of time on the spinal cord without causing any tissue damage.
This is precisely what the teams of professors Stéphanie Lacour and Grégoire
Courtine have developed. Their e-Dura implant is designed specifically for
implantation on the surface of the brain or spinal cord. The small device
closely imitates the mechanical properties of living tissue, and can
simultaneously deliver electric impulses and pharmacological substances. The
risks of rejection and/or damage to the spinal cord have been drastically
reduced.

The researchers tested the device prototype by applying their rehabilitation
protocol - which combines electrical and chemical stimulation – to paralyzed
rats. Not only did the implant prove its biocompatibility, but it also did
its job perfectly, allowing the rats to regain the ability to walk on their
own again after a few weeks of training.

For the time being, the e-Dura implant has been primarily tested in cases of
spinal cord injury in paralyzed rats. But the potential for applying these
surface implants is huge – for example in epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and
pain management. The scientists are planning to move towards clinical trials
in humans, and to develop their prototype in preparation for
commercialization.

Read the entire article and view a video (1:51) at:
http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2015/01/neuroprosthetics-paralysis-new-implant-spinal-cord

Links:
Flexible Implant Restores Rodent Mobility to Paralyzed Rats
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/flexible-implant-restores-rodent-mobility

Spinal Cord Implant Mimics Living Tissue
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2015/01/spinal-cord-implant-mimics-living-tissue