New therapies are on the horizon for individuals paralyzed following spinal cord injury.
The e-Dura implant developed by EPFL scientists can be applied directly to the spinal cord without causing damage and inflammation. The device is described in an article appearing online January 8, 2015, in Science.
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. An article about the implant will appear in early January in Science Magazine.

So-called “surface implants” have reached a roadblock; they cannot be applied long term to the spinal cord or brain, beneath the nervous system’s protective envelope, otherwise known as the “dura mater,” because when nerve tissues move or stretch, they rub against these rigid devices. After a while, this repeated friction causes inflammation, scar tissue buildup, and rejection.
An easy-does-it implant
Flexible and stretchy, the implant developed at EPFL is placed beneath the dura mater, directly onto the spinal cord. Its elasticity and its potential for deformation are almost identical to the living tissue surrounding it. This reduces friction and inflammation to a minimum. When implanted into rats, the e-Dura prototype caused neither damage nor rejection, even after two months. More rigid traditional implants would have caused significant nerve tissue damage during this period of time.
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.
“Our e-Dura implant can remain for a long period of time on the spinal cord or the cortex, precisely because it has the same mechanical properties as the dura mater itself. This opens up new therapeutic possibilities for patients suffering from neurological trauma or disorders, particularly individuals who have become paralyzed following spinal cord injury,” explains Lacour, co-author of the paper, and holder of EPFL’s Bertarelli Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology.
Read more: Neuroprosthetics for paralysis: an new implant on the spinal cord
The Latest on: Neuroprosthetics
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Neuroprosthetics” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Neuroprosthetics
- Nerve Repair and Regeneration Market Strong Growth at a CAGR of 6.5% and Revenue to Hit USD 12.3 billion by 2030on June 6, 2023 at 5:00 am
As per the report, the global nerve repair and regeneration industry generated $6.6 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $12.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2021 to 2030. The ...
- Brain-Computer Interfaces: Separating Fact From Fiction On Musk’s Brain Implant Claimson June 4, 2023 at 5:00 pm
How much of this is just investor speak? Please join us as we take a look at BCIs, neuroprosthetics and what we can expect of these technologies in the coming years. The ATP-ADP cycle: ATP ...
- Elon Musk’s brain implant company is approved for human testing. How alarmed should we be?on June 4, 2023 at 5:59 am
The billionaire’s record has raised concerns over Neuralink’s ability to responsibly oversee the development of such an invasive device ...
- Principles of neural ensemble physiology underlying the operation of brain–machine interfaceson March 14, 2023 at 1:05 am
Further understanding of these principles is likely to have a key role in the future development of neuroprosthetics for restoring mobility in severely paralysed patients. “...in addition to ...
- Artículos sobre Neuroprostheticson September 1, 2020 at 1:33 pm
From warfare to entertainment and VR, brain-computer interface development has extended beyond prosthetics for patients with disabilities. Missing is full ethical consideration of the consequences ...
- Irwin, Zachary, Ph.D.on December 19, 2019 at 2:51 am
He used intracortical and peripheral neural interfaces to study motor and sensory systems, developing neuroprosthetics to restore movement following spinal cord injury and amputation. After defending ...
- "Mad Scientist" Mom Turns Autistic Son Into a "Cyborg"on July 16, 2019 at 2:06 pm
The system Ming built for her son falls into this same category. But what happens when we use neuroprosthetics not to level the playing field, so to speak, but to start putting some people on a ...
- Cal Tech Reveals The Next Generation of Neuroprostheticson June 5, 2015 at 7:41 am
Read the news story: http://www.caltech.edu/news/controlling-robotic-arm-patients-intentions-46786 Read the abstract of this research: http://resolver.caltech.edu ...
- Neural Engineeringon June 3, 2015 at 3:10 am
Neural engineering extends and applies basic knowledge of the nervous system, from the molecular to the systems level, to develop useful technology for medical and other applications. Our research ...
via Bing News