Paralyzed man can walk again, slightly, thanks to brain linked to computer by electrodes

[Roma_Victrix]

Brain-computer link enables paralyzed California man to walk

Mind you, this is still in a very highly controlled setting with weight supports, but this is still remarkable nevertheless. There's no doubt in my mind that by mid century we will have perfected this to the point that people who were previously paralyzed from the waist down from a spinal cord injury will completely regain their ability to walk again.

What are the implications of this for the future community of disabled people around the world? Will this treatment sadly be out of reach for millions still living in the Third World due to lack of general medical treatment or ready, affordable access to it? Do you think other miracle cures of modern science to come, like for those of total blindness or deafness, will also dwindle the sizes of those respective disabled communities? Will this even be an issue by the end of the century?

[sumskilz]

Of course everyone at twcenter knew this was right around the corner because of my post in January of 2010. It's cool to see this applied, but let us not forgot the early primate pioneer:

What are the implications of this for the future community of disabled people around the world?

The destruction of their culture.

[Roma_Victrix]

Of course everyone at twcenter knew this was right around the corner because of my post in January of 2010. It's cool to see this applied, but let us not forgot the early primate pioneer:

Nice.

The destruction of their culture.

Some cultures were meant to be destroyed.

[Mangalore]

...

The destruction of their culture.

I know deaf people in various places have communities so segregated from "normal" people that they sometimes resist treatment even if it could fix their hearing. That seem a very dogmatic and unhealthy attitude as a culture overall..

[sumskilz]

I know deaf people in various places have communities so segregated from "normal" people that they sometimes resist treatment even if it could fix their hearing. That seem a very dogmatic and unhealthy attitude as a culture overall..

Yeah, that's what I was referencing (only half jokingly), but since paralysis doesn't involved a unique communication system, I doubt we'll see a similar resistance.

[RubiconDecision]

The tech goes back to the sixties but used for pain management.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation

Peripheral nerve stimulation, frequently referred to as PNS, is a commonly used approach to treat chronic pain. It involves surgery that places a small electrical device (a wire-like electrode) next to one of the peripheral nerves. (These are the nerves that are located beyond the brain or spinal cord). The electrode delivers rapid electrical pulses that are felt like mild tingles (so-called paresthesias). During the testing period (trial), the electrode is connected to an external device, and if the trial is successful, a small generator gets implanted into the patient’s body. Similar to heart pacemakers, electricity is delivered from the generator to the nerve or nerves using one or several electrodes. The patient is able to control stimulation by turning the device on and off and adjusting stimulation parameters as needed.
A common misconception about PNS is that it is a relatively new method that was just recently introduced. In fact, PNS was invented in the mid-1960s, even before the commonly used spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Since that time, PNS has become established for very specific clinical indications, including certain complex regional pain syndromes, pain due to peripheral nerve injuries, etc. Some of the common applications of PNS include treatment of back pain (recently approved in some parts of the world), occipital nerve stimulation for treatment of migraine headaches, and pudendal nerve stimulation that is being investigated for use in urinary bladder incontinence. Despite its long history, the large body of supporting literature, and its official approval in Europe and Australia, peripheral nerve stimulation for pain is still considered “off-label” in the United States.

It also can trigger orgasm and hence might be used in cases of trauma, and improving the mental health of many.
http://www.google.com/patents/US6169924

The peripheral nervous system(PNS) can sometimes regrow.




The spinal cord is a complex series of conduits from the brain to the PNS. Note all of the tracts we know about as those interconnections. Damage or disease to a part then blocks the signal.

Here is a cross-section slice of the spinal cord. The cross-sections vary based upon the vertebral level.


A different tract that is injured or diseased or due to nutritional deficiency manifests in different pathological states.


The site of injury then results in symptoms of paralysis generally, then specific tracts are damaged at that level.

The interface bypasses these harmed tracts to stimulate directly the PNS in order to create locomotion. However is the feedback reporting back to the CNS(brain) to make minute adjustments, awareness of body position(proprioception), and for balance from complimentary weight distribution? In other words, yes...the efferent pathways can be bypassed, but what about afferent pathways(sensation)?