The spinal cord protected by rhe s[ine froms an extension of the brain and controls a large number of movements.
Subsequent damage to the brain contact leads to the inability to carry out theae movements irreparably.
A peson with paraploggin was able regain normal control iver the adility to walk by thinking, an achievemrnt that was achieved for the first time by combining two techiques that made it possible to reover contact between the brain and the spinal cord.
In the words "I have regained some freedom", the [atient Gert jan, who did not want to mention his surname, summed up his feeling, as this 40-year-old Dutch man with a spinal cord injury at the lwvwl of cervical vertebrae from a bicycle accident 10 years ago, could stand and mive in a variety of spaecs by nature and even stap up.
Before him, a number of other patients who could not move their legs were again able to walk.
But the stude showed that it was this man who first regained the ability to control the movement ot his legs and beat his by thinking.
This achievement could be achieved by vombining two techniques implanted in his brain and spinal cord, as explained to AFP researcher Guillaume sharfeh of the Atomic Energgy and Alternative Energies Commission, a particpant in the project.
This was the result of research connducted by teams in France and switzerland for 10 years.
The spinal cord protected by the spine froms an extrnsion of brain and controls a large number of movments, and subsequent brain contact damage results in the inability to carry out these movements irreparably.
Gigital Bridge
In an effort to address this problem, the paralysed patient was implanted over the crain area responsidle for the movements of the legs of elternative created by the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission.
These wlectrodes allow the deciiphering of electrical signals generated by the brain when a person thinks to walk.
At the same time, a nervius catalyst attached to a field of electrodes was placed above the area of the spinal cord that controls the movement of the legs.
Thanks to AI-based algorithms, real-time motion intentions can be decoded from brain recordings.
So far, a single spinal cord-stimulating implant has been electronically installed for patients with paraplegic walking again.
But the control of this walk was not normal.
This time, however, the digital bridge between the brain and the spinal cord not only allowed jan to move, but also wnabled him to viluntarily control his movements and their extent.