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Swiss scientists have developed light-emitting diodes that stimulate the spinal cord in the event of an injury, TF1 Information notes.
By ThePoint.fr
© Thierry Creux / MAXPPP / PHOTOPQR/WEST FRANCE/MAXPPP
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VS’A finding that promises to be important for those paralyzed following spinal cord injury has been noted by our colleagues. TF1 News. Researchers from the NeuroRestore Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, have discovered which types of neurons are made to walk through the spinal cord. From there, they succeeded in reproducing the electrical impulses evoked by these neurons by implanting electrodes into the spinal cord. The result: Nine paraplegics were allowed to stand up and walk again.
Even better. Scientists say in their study published in Review Nature November 9, “Improvement in patients’ motor skills at the end of the rehabilitation process continues even in the absence of electrical stimulation”. They explain this by the fact that our nervous system can reprogram itself to summon neurons that are generally underutilized – they christened Vsx2 – but prove to be essential to recovery after injury.
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This discovery is the result of long work by this group, which is affiliated with the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL). For the first time, the NeuroRestore teams succeeded in “visualizing the activity of the human spinal cord during walking” and then “in observing the evolution of the healing process, neuron by neuron.” Their hopes for the future are high: “This opens up even more targeted therapy opportunities for us: we aim to manipulate these neurons to regenerate spinal cord injuries,” they explain. A statement.
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