New Therapy Helps Paralyzed Man Stand

Publication of a new case study was recently released in The Lancet.  It suggests scientists may not have to repair the injury site of paralyzed people for them to regain useable function.

Rob Summers injured his spinal cord four years ago in an automobile accident.  Just this week, he stood unaided  on his own for the first time since the injury with help from epidural stimulation of his lower spine.  An electrical stimulator implanted at the base of his spine allowed his legs to move without input from his brain.

The remarkable thing is that he is also regaining bladder and sexual function, as well as the ability to sweat.

“The spinal cord is smart,” says Dr. Edgerton,  professor of integrative biology and physiology, and neurobiology at UCLA. “The neural networks in the lumbosacral spinal cord are capable of initiating full weight bearing and relatively coordinated stepping without any input from the brain. This is possible, in part, due to information that is sent back from the legs directly to the spinal cord.”

Here’s a video of the cbs news clip on this story.