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Published online 15 October 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.1170
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Monkeys move paralysed muscles with their minds
Sending brain signals through electrodes to a paralysed wrist muscle restores movement.
A monkey's paralysed wrist can be moved and controlled by electrical signals artificially routed from its brain, according to scientists who say that their experiment is a step towards helping paralysed people to regain the use of their limbs.
Previously, scientists have been able to train monkeys to move robotic arms using signals routed from electrodes in their brains1.
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I am doing research in spinal cord injury?SCI??but we only focus in finding new material and different kinds of cells to replace the damage focus.Though there are some advantage?but the efficiency is limit.So I think robotic arms using is the terminal direction of rehabilitative strategy after nervous system injury.Goverment should pay more attention on field because our brain is different than any other organs!!http://sifanhuang@126.com
Flexibility of the neurons opens a lot of new doors, potentially this is a step toward the kind of mind-object control seen in Matrix, Avalon and so on. Imagination will truly become the only limitation to what you can accomplish, if not in the material world, it shouldn't take too long to make it possible in the virtual world. Helmet with electrodes, any one? In addition, flexibility of the neurons have implications in stroke rehabilitation. When part of the brain that originally controlled some part of the body gets infarct, neurons from another part can be recruited. Maybe super thin implantable electrodes can be developed to facility synaptic connections to the original post synaptic neurons, being the lower motor neurons or what not, since forming new processes and axons is still the hurdle in neural regeneration. However, the question is, does this diversion of connection interfere with the original function of the recruited neuron? Do you even know what the original function is of those neurons that got poked by electrodes? I hear people say, "oh only 1% of our brain is used in everyday life anyway." But how do you tell which neuron is presently "dormant"?
We are interested in contacting with the author of the study. We have a boy of 9 years old with cerebral paralysis. Agustin is an intelligent boy but we have many difficulties to look for communication systems because to Agustin the movement of its arms costs much effort to him. I do not know if this study could help us. Thanks for your work
I am most interested in the spine. I believe the spine isn't just a distributor of the motor signals,but an area that remembers and learns. The memory engrams for movement are laid down in the spine. The brain sends down the go signals,so then the movement engrams go into action. I believe you are on the right track. But don't neglect the spine. I think it just as flexible as the brain.
There are supplements that remove some nerve damage and pain in the hip and leg, . One is a dietary supplement called DIABETIC NUTRITION RX.by Progressive Research Labs there are Skullcap and Oregon Grape Root and Shepherds purse. also the new COX 2 by Swanson may after extended use, repair the spine with continued use as well,or not depending on the individual. I was thinking if the limb did start moving again what level of pain was experienced from the usual nerve damage expected.
This is nice done. We had done two works in brain stimulation 11 years ago. But unfortunately, Nature didn?t accept. We changed to ALS area, because no funding support late. Here are two papers may give you some idea. Good luck! F. Jiang jiangf@mcmaster.ca Hippocampal stimulation of fornical-lesioned rats improves working memory Turnbull J, Jiang F, Racine R. Can J Neurol Sci. 1995 Feb;22(1):75-6. Electrical Stimulation of the Septal Region of Aged Rats Improves Performance in an Open-Field Maze Jiang F.; Racine R.; Turnbull J. Physiology and Behavior, Volume 62, Number 6, December 1997 , pp. 1279-1282(4)
It is true that flexibility of the neurons have implications when part of the brain , in stroke ,gets affected or infarct,and that neurons from another part can be recruited. Nanotechnology based biomedical super thin implantable electrodes can facilitate synaptic connections so that the debility is repaired. It has been shown from studies that stimulation of brain parts improve mental and in turn physical functions. Some recently reported studies reveal that brain activity can be used to control robotic arms and the key result from the new study is the ability of neurons to learn and adapt so that they relate to the outside world. This is definitely closer to the era of mind-object control which nanotechnology may help us to realize through power chips and electronic/bio electronic implants. the role of spine in all this apart from the fact that it an area for reflex or signal exchange needs to be investigated so that the effectiveness of implants are leveraged through memory engrams in spine. SURESHKUMAR.S,SCIENTIST AND ADVISOR,NIIST,TRIVANDRUM,CSIR