Spinal stimulation and robotics aid paralysis rehab

Rehabilitation robotics that encourage limb movement have previously been used to aid recovery from spinal cord injuries, but their impact has so far been limited. The Swiss-led team boosted the effectiveness of these treatments by pairing robotic therapy with stimulation of the spinal cord, using an implanted neuroprosthesis developed by biotech company .NeuroRestore.

The implant activates biomimetic ‘electrical epidural stimulation’ of muscles in harmony with robotic movements, resulting in coordinated muscle activity during therapy. In a proof-of-concept study involving five individuals with spinal cord injuries, the new treatment delivered ‘immediate and sustained’ muscle activation, with some patients seeing improvement in their voluntary movements post-treatment. The work is published in Science Robotics. 

“The seamless integration of spinal cord stimulation with rehabilitation or recreational robotics will accelerate the deployment of this therapy into the standard of care and the community of people with spinal cord injury,” said Grégoire Courtine, who leads the .NeuroRestore research team.