Brain implants allow paralysed man to feed himself

Conclusion This was a case report which described how a man who was paralysed from the shoulders down regained the ability to perform reaching and grasping movements using his own paralysed arm and hand controlled by his brain.  It was a "proof of concept" study to show that the approach – using a brain implant linked via a computer to "functional electrical stimulation" (FES) devices to deliver electrical stimulation to the muscles – could work. The next step will be to continue developing and studying the technique in more people. These are exciting findings and pave the way for further development of this technique so that it can hopefully become a treatment option for patients with paralysis in the future. It's important to bear in mind that we don't yet know whether this technique will work for all patients with paralysis, and it is currently only allowed to be used as part of the ongoing clinical trial in the US. These trials need to show the implants are sufficiently safe and effective before they can be allowed to be used more widely. Lead author of the research, Dr Bolu Ajiboye told the Guardian: "Our research is at an early stage, but we believe that this [technique] could offer individuals with paralysis the possibility of regaining arm and hand functions to perform day-to-day activities, offering them greater independence." Links To The Headlines Paralysed man feeds himself with help of implants. BBC News, March 29 2017 Paralyz...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Neurology Medical practice Source Type: news