Reversing Paralysis Scientists are making remarkable progress at using brain implants to restore the freedom of movement that spinal cord injuries take away. Scientists are wirelessly connecting brain-reading technology directly to electrical stimulators on the body, creating a “neural bypass” so that people’s thoughts can again move their limbs for paralyzed people. The science is still in beginning stages, but their is a great desire for these solutions. Please hit the like button if you like the slide....

2.  The communication between our brain and the
respective muscles are done through different nerves.
So when you are thinking about walking, it’s your brain
who directs your leg muscles to make movements for
you to walk.
 Sometimes, because of any unfortunate events such
as external accidents or weakening of nerves, if the
brain can’t communicate with the muscles, the
movement in them halts and the victim is said to be in a
paralyzed condition.

3.  Scientists are making remarkable progress at
using brain implants to restore the freedom of
movement that spinal cord injuries take away.
 Scientists are wirelessly connecting brain-
reading technology directly to electrical
stimulators on the body, creating a “neural
bypass” so that people’s thoughts can again
move their limbs for paralyzed people. The
science is still in beginning stages, but their is a
great desire for these solutions.

5.  The implementation was done on a man who
was partially paralyzed because of an injury to
his spinal cord 5 years before the implant.
 Before the implant, he was able to walk with
support, but the stimulating implant drastically
improved his movement control.
 “When we turn on the stimulation, the
movement is much more coordinated,”
Courtine says.

6. The flexible “ e-dura “(which covers the spinal cord
and brain) developed by EPFL professor Stephanie
Lacour is meant to interface safely with delicate
neural tissue.

7.  the whole procedure can be done through wireless
implants.
 In a breakthrough study on paralyzed Monkey
published last November(2016), Courtine and his
collaborators showed that inserting both a brain
implant and a spinal implant provided much more
natural walking movement in Paralyzed Monkey.
 Notes: motor cortex is the area in our brain where
planning and execution of all voluntary movements
in our body is done.

8.  The first implant was a brain reading chip with
micro electrode array that was placed at the leg
area of the motor cortex of the monkey’s brain.
This chip has around 100 electrodes in it. The
brain reading chip has been developed in such a
way that it can read the motor cortex signals at a
rapid speed to avoid delay in the process.
 The second implant is a pulse generator simulator
and has wireless triggering capabilities. The pulse
generator is implanted at affected region. It has the
capability to deliver correct stimulation to the
required location at a perfect timing in order.

10. HOW THE DEVICE
WORKS??
The brain-spine interface
bridges the spinal cord injury, in
real-time and wirelessly.
The system decodes activity
from the brain's motor cortex
and then relays this information
to a system of electrodes
located over the surface of the
lumbar spinal cord, below the
injury.
Electrical stimulation of a few
volts, delivered at precise
locations in the spinal cord,
modulates distinct networks of
neurons that can activate
specific muscles in the legs.

12. With the brain-spinal interface system
turned off, a partially paralyzed monkey
drags its rear foot.
With the brain-spinal interface system
turned on, the monkey walks almost
normally.

13.  Cure for all possible types of paralysis (Not
sure at all; Just hypothetical)
 Monoplegia : Monoplegia is paralysis of a single
area of the body, most typically one limb.
 Hemiplegia : Hemiplegia affects an arm and a leg on
the same side of the body
 Paraplegia : Paraplegia refers to paralysis below the
waist, and usually affects both legs, the hips, and
other functions, such as sexuality and elimination.
 Quadriplegia : Quadriplegia, which is often referred
to as tetraplegia, is paralysis below the neck. All four
limbs, as well as the torso, are typically affected.

14.  Promising technology but roads are yet difficult.
 To work properly on human brain is too much
complex.
 Courtine & team are continuously working on
the interface to make it more developed and
optimal.
 Might takes more than 12-15 years.
 Much more expensive

15.  https://www.spinalcord.com/types-of-paralysis
 https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-
os/biomedical/bionics/one-small-step-for-a-paraplegic-one-
big-step-toward-reversing-paralysis
 https://www.tutorialspoint.com/articles/reversing-paralysis-
using-brain-implants-to-restore-body-movement