After receiving an innovative spinal implant, a Frenchman who had lost significant motor functions due to advanced-stage Parkinson’s Disease has experienced a remarkable recovery, regaining the ability to walk uaided for extended distances.
In the latter stages of Parkinson’s disease, individuals often struggle with muscle control, and there are instances where movement can cease entirely, causing them to collapse.
The individual in question, 63-year old Marc for Bordeaux, France, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two decades ago. As the condition progressed, Marc faced severe limitations, needing constant support to prevent his walking gait from freezing.
However, an experimental spinal implant, developed through collaborative between the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and the Lausanne University Hospital, has proven to be a groundbreaking intervention, not only for Marc but also for a man with a spinal cord injury that had left him paralyzed.
Traditionally, images of individuals with spinal cord injuries walking again involve a computer attached to their back or a laboratory setting. Marc’s case, however, presents a more authentic scenario. The spinal implant technology, which is still undergoing refinement over the next five years, has demonstrated significant success, marking a crucial advancement in the field.
Watching Marc walk with his new implants is remarkably lifelike. However, these implants still require an additional fire years of refinement, and the study documenting Marc’s experience is considered a significant milestone in the journey of development.
Marc told the press, “I practically could not walk anymore without falling frequently, several times a day. In some situations, such as entering a lift, I’d trample on the spot, as though I was frozen there, you might say. Right now, I’m not even afraid of the stairs anymore. Every Sunday I go to the lake, and I walk around 6 kilometers [3.7 miles]. It’s incredible.”
The scientific team began by mapping Marc’s spinal cord to identify the specific locations responsible for signaling leg movement. Electrodes were then strategically implanted at these locations, facilitating direct stimulation to the spine.
The patient, in this case Marc, wore two sensors on the posterior leg muscles. These sensors continuously transmitted information to a stimulator located beneath the skin on Marc’s abdomen. The stimulator, in turn, delivered electrical impulses to the electrodes on his spine, correcting abnormal signals that could lead to tremors or loss of coordination.
To calibrate the stimulator effectively, Marc underwent extensive walking sessions in a laboratory, closely monitored by the research team using motion detection cameras and computer modeling. This comprehensive approach aimed to fine-tune the technology to ensure optimal functionality.
“At no point is [the patient] controlled by the machine. It’s just enhancing his capacity to walk,” Professor Eduardo Martin Moraud, of Lausanne University hospital, told the Guardian.
The study detailing Marc’s experience is considered a significant “stepping stone” in the development of this spinal implant technology. The researchers are dedicated to expanding their intervention to six additional patients, aiming to gain a comprehensive understanding of its potential and feasiblity for broader public availability in the future.
The success witnessed in Marc’s case offers hope for invidivuals grappling with advanced-stage Parkinson’s disease, showcasing the transformative impact of cutting-edge spinal implant techonlogy on motor function restoration.
See more about Marc’s case in the video below:
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