Paralyzed patients can walk again with new brain therapy: "I can feel my legs"

Some paralyzed patients may be able to regain movement and potentially walk again, according to new research.

Two individuals with spinal cord injuries underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy in a research study conducted by EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland.

The therapy was applied to the "unexpected" lateral hypothalamus, a part of the brain previously linked to functions such as eating and arousing from sleep.

According to a press release from Lausanne University Hospital, after the stimulation, the patients were able to walk without assistance and even climb stairs.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Wolfgang Jäger, a 54-year-old participant from Kappel, Austria, sustained a spinal cord injury in 2006 and was left in a wheelchair.

He regained some lower-body mobility after receiving deep brain stimulation with electrodes implanted in his brain.

Jäger stated in the release that it was effortless to walk a few steps to and from the sea using the stimulation during his vacation last year.

"I can also reach things in my cupboards in the kitchen."

Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon and professor at Lausanne University Hospital, UNIL, and EPFL, discussed the immediate effects of therapy.

The patient immediately reported feeling her legs after the electrode was placed and stimulation was performed, as stated in the release.

"Upon increasing the stimulation, she exclaimed, 'I feel the urge to walk!' This immediate response verified that we had hit the right area, even though it had never been linked to leg control in humans."

Bloch added, "At this moment, I knew we were witnessing an important discovery of the anatomical organization of brain functions."

"When we increased the stimulation, she said, ‘I feel the urge to walk!’"

Even when the stimulation wasn't actively being applied, the participants reported "long-term improvement" in mobility.

Dr. Grégoire Courtine, a professor of neuroscience at EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital and co-director of the .NeuroRestore center, revealed that a new research has shown the unanticipated role of the lateral hypothalamus, a brain region not previously linked to human locomotion, according to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"This approach not only improves motor abilities during stimulation but also causes nerve fibers to reorganize, resulting in long-term improvements even without stimulation."

The use of DBS in managing tremors in individuals with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease has been a traditional practice, according to researchers.

The concept of applying it to the lateral hypothalamus is unchartered territory.

In the future, the researchers aim to integrate DBS with spinal implants to enhance paralysis recovery.

Courtine stated that combining our brain and spinal stimulation methods would provide a more comprehensive recovery plan for spinal cord injury patients.

‘Pushing science forward’

The study's results, according to Dr. Ann Murray, director of the Comprehensive Movement Disorder Clinic at WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute in West Virginia, are "surprising and exciting."

According to Murray, who was not part of the study, the hypothalamus, the area of the brain that was being stimulated, has not been linked to the mechanism of gait in the past.

As we gain a better understanding of brain networks, we will be able to regulate malfunctioning areas.

"Technologies such as deep brain stimulation therapy allow us to interface with the brain's electrical signaling to enhance and/or restore more normal connectivity."

The possibilities for progress in these technologies are "limitless," according to Murray.

"I sincerely hope that advancements in technologies such as deep brain stimulation and other neuromodulation therapies will further the field of brain health restoration for patients with neurologic injuries."

Potential limitations

The researchers acknowledged that there are some limitations of the research.

"This is precision medicine at its finest."

According to Courtine, this therapy is advantageous only for patients with incomplete injuries who still have functional neural circuits but are not fully utilizing them.

"Restoring functional movements in complete spinal cord injuries may require localized epidural electrical stimulation or a brain-spine interface bridge."

The study was conducted without a control group and is considered an "early-stage safety and feasibility trial."

Before approval, larger pivotal studies must be completed and evaluated for this therapy to become widely accessible, according to Courtine.

"It could take several years for the therapy to be accessible to patients."

Murray also emphasized that caution must be taken with this type of stimulation.

She warned that a high level of safety and precision is necessary when investigating brain therapies.

"Interfering with certain networks in the brain, which is the most precise and complicated organ in the body, requires careful consideration of both the intended and potential unintended effects of any treatment or innovation."

A comprehensive team must execute every step of the process carefully, as stated by Murray.

"Any mistake in any stage of precision medicine can lead to suboptimal results."

The objective, she stated, is to standardize the process to increase access to this "life-changing therapy" for more patients.

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This development should provide hope to millions of patients worldwide with neurologic conditions, as it is advancing technology and science to offer treatment to those who previously had no options.