In 2006, Wolfgang Jäger was in his 30s when a skiing accident left the young Austrian wheelchair-bound from a spinal cord injury.
In 2006, Wolfgang Jäger was in his 30s when a skiing accident left the young Austrian wheelchair-bound from a
“Last year on vacation, it was no problem to walk a couple of steps down and back to the sea using the stimulation,” Jäger said in a news release from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne , in Switzerland. A team from EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital say that zapping the brain in an "unexpected" locale, the lateral hypothalamus, appears to have helped Jäger and one other patient with a spinal injury regain some movement.
Could the lateral hypothalamus play a role in the recovery of movement in folks with damaged spinal cords?Brain scans were used to guide and implant electrodes in the brains of two fully awake patients. "This real-time feedback confirmed we had targeted the correct region, even if this region had never been associated with the control of the legs in humans," she said. "At this moment, I knew that we were witnessing an important discovery for the anatomical organization of brain functions."“This research demonstrates that the brain is needed to recover from paralysis," said Coutine, a professor of neuroscience at EPFL.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
World-first: Deep brain stimulation enables paralyzed patient to walk againIn this clinical trial, the participants received deep brain stimulation (DBS) in a region of the brain called the lateral hypothalamus (LH).
Read more »
AI Helps Spot Brain Tumor Tissue Surgeons MissA newly developed AI program can help doctors detect and potentially remove brain cancer that might otherwise be missed during surgery, a new study demonstrates.
Read more »
Scientists Find Way to Deliver Medicines Across Brain's Protective BarrierThe blood-brain barrier is a natural membrane that protects your brain from toxins and germs.
Read more »
Electricity can release powerful neurosteroids in the brain.Electrical stimulation of the brain produces neurosteroids involved in brain cell growth and rewiring— a key to helping individuals with depression or anxiety.
Read more »
Exercise Relieves Stress During Ovarian Stimulation, May Not Lead to TorsionExercise during the IVF or egg freezing process is especially beneficial in people who already work out regularly.
Read more »
Scientists reveal 'neural tourniquet' that can stop bleeding with nerve stimulationLiam Drew is a freelance science journalist covering neuroscience, biomedical research and most things biological. He writes regularly for Nature and its sister journals. His work has also appeared in New Scientist, The Guardian, Knowable, Aeon, Quanta and The Reader's Digest.
Read more »