Spinal Cord Injury News
A collection of posts on news, information and resources for those with spinal cord injuries.
Gene Therapy Developed to Restore Motor Function Across Complete Spinal Cord Injuries
Scientists at the NeuroRestore Centre in Switzerland have developed a gene therapy that was proven to stimulate nerve regrowth across complete spinal cord injuries in mice.
A complete spinal cord injury leads to irreversible paralysis. To combat this, the scientists’ gene therapy guides nerves to reconnect to their natural targets below the injuries in order to restore motor function.
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Posted in Research for a Cure on September 23rd, 2023.
Scientists Regenerate Neurons that Restore Walking in Mice after Paralysis from Spinal Cord Injury
Guiding cells to natural target region key to functional recovery
In a new study in mice, a team of researchers from UCLA, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and Harvard University have uncovered a crucial component for restoring functional activity after spinal cord injury. The neuroscientists have shown that re-growing specific neurons back to their natural target regions led to recovery, while random regrowth was not effective.
Posted in Research for a Cure on September 21st, 2023.
Elon Musk’s Neuralink to Start Human Trial of Brain Implant
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup Neuralink said on Tuesday it has received approval from an independent review board to begin recruitment for the first human trial of its brain implant for paralysis patients.
Those with paralysis due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may qualify for the study, it said, but did not reveal how many participants would be enrolled in the trial, which will take about six years to complete.
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Posted in Clinical Trials and Studies, Research for a Cure on September 20th, 2023.
Paralyzed man walks naturally, thanks to wireless ‘bridge’ between brain and spine
Implanted brain electrodes send signals that bypass damaged spinal cord area, using man’s thoughts to stimulate leg movement
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Posted in Research for a Cure on May 25th, 2023.
A Tongue-Controlled Interface that Lets People Explore the Digital World Hands-Free
Augmental redesigned the computer mouse with the goal of making it more universally inclusive— empowering everyone, particularly individuals with hand impairments, to use computers with greater degrees of expressivity and convenience.
MIT Media Lab spinoff Augmental, an innovative hardware startup focused on creating human-first experiences that enhance everyday interactions with digital devices and interfaces, today announces the launch of the MouthPad^ — a groundbreaking innovation that allows people to control devices purely through the movement of their tongue. The hardware company’s first device aims to push the boundaries of hands-free computing making technology more human.
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Posted in Assistive Technology on April 25th, 2023.