Brain implant helps paralysed man to feed himself and drink from cup
2 hours ago
- #neurotechnology
- #medical breakthrough
- #spinal cord injury
- A man with paralysis from a chest-down swimming accident six years ago regained arm movement and touch sensation using a brain implant.
- Keith Thomas participated in a trial involving a 'double neural bypass' system that reads brain signals to move limbs and sends feedback for touch.
- After 35 weeks of training, his right arm strength increased by 86%, left by 62%, allowing him to perform tasks like feeding himself and feeling objects.
- Researchers used cortical mirroring therapy to restore touch in his numb wrist, with improvements lasting over two years even when the system was off.
- The technology may help rewire the nervous system, but more trials are needed to assess its effectiveness for various spinal cord injuries.