A man dealing with advanced Parkinson's disease can now walk freely, close to fully normal, thanks to some electrodes that were implanted over his spinal cord.
Spinal Cord Implant Help Man With Parkinson's Disease Walk
This medical milestone was accomplished by Swiss researchers who also worked on similar efforts to help those with paraplegia to walk once more. David Dexter, Parkinson's UK research director, explains that the technology could be revolutionary in restoring movement among those dealing with advanced Parkinson's disease. However, the procedure is quite invasive and requires further research.
The spinal implants were made on Marc, a 62-year-old Parkinson's disease patient from France. He has been dealing with Parkinson's disease for roughly 30 years. Similar to 90% of those with advanced Parkinson's disease, Marc found it hard to walk freely.
Marc explains that freezing episodes, in which temporary movement is inhibited and the risk of falling goes up, are quite awful. He explains that if an obstacle is present or if someone unexpectedly passes in front, one may start freezing and then falling.
When he got the chance to undergo a surgery in Switzerland, Marc decided to take the chance. The team behind the spinal implant, which was led by surgeon Jocelyne Bloch as well as neuroscientist Gregoire Courtine, implanted a neuroprosthesis, which is a complex electrode system, at key points in Marc's spinal cord. Previously, the pair introduced the usage of such implants to help paraplegic patients walk once more.
For Marc and other patients of Parkinson's disease, brain and spinal cord communication has been impaired due to the gradual disappearance of neurons responsible for dopamine generation. Hence, the neuroprosthesis should not just relay stimulations to enable walking but also take the brain's role to time the stimulation properly for the movements to match the wishes of the patients.
The novel implants were first tested among primates before being implanted on Marc.
Marc explains that now, he can move from point to point without having to worry about how he can arrive there. He adds that he can also go for a walk and even shop on his own.
He has been using the implants for around eight hours a day for almost two years. He stresses that he can walk easily but that it still needs concentration, especially when ascending stairs.
The team has now expanded the experiment to cover six patients of Parkinson's disease. They aim to know how it could aid others, considering how the condition affects individuals in various ways.
Parkinson's Disease
There is still a lot of mystery surrounding Parkinson's disease. However, it is known that symptoms of the condition can significantly affect patient life. Several patients are either stuck to the bed or wheelchair due to the condition.
Parkinson's disease mainly impacts the nervous system and other body parts managed by nerves. It is a degenerative brain condition linked to age. The condition is best known to lead to tremors, slowed movements, balance issues, and other concerns.
