
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
- Visual brain areas switch their state as soon as the eyes are opened, study showson July 11, 2024 at 8:02 am
"Visual neuroprosthetics can create tiny visual percepts (phosphenes) in both humans and macaques. Understanding the underlying activity patterns can help us design the optimal input for ...
- Prestigious Royal Society award to neuroprosthetics academicon July 10, 2024 at 5:20 pm
An Otago researcher investigating an innovative approach to help people manage diseases associated with the nervous system has been recognised by the Royal Society Te Apārangi.
- The Future Of Neurotechnology: Five Trends To Watchon June 25, 2024 at 3:15 am
Neuroprosthetics are devices that replace or enhance the function of a damaged nervous system. They include cochlear implants, retinal implants, and brain-controlled prosthetic limbs.
- Todos os artigos de Neuroprostheticson March 29, 2022 at 5:00 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 ...
- 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