New Spinal Implant Enables Parkinson's Patient to Walk Again, More Trials Planned

Implant stimulates spinal neurons to improve mobility, first patient reports successful results post-operation; researchers aim to replicate results in future trials with six additional patients.

• Marc Gauthier, a 63-year-old Parkinson’s patient in France, was the first to receive the new spinal implant, reporting significant improvements in mobility and quality of life post-operation.
• The spinal implant works by using electrodes to stimulate spinal neurons, restoring normal signaling from the spine to the leg muscles, thus tackling mobility problems common in advanced stages of Parkinson's disease.
• The development team, a Swiss research group, formulated an individualized anatomical map of Gauthier's spinal cord to achieve precise implantation, promoting efficient movement signal propagation to the legs.
• Upon engaging in walking, sensors on Gauthier's legs activate the implant automatically, providing spinal stimulation and enabling improved movement control without significant external intervention.
• The Swiss research team has enrolled 6 more patients for subsequent trials to validate the clinical efficacy of the implant, and to investigate if the positive outcomes can be reproduced.

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