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In a recent small study, an implanted device that stimulates the spinal cord helped restore arm and hand mobility in survivors of two strokes, allowing them to manage simple daily tasks like using a fork to eat a meal for the first time in years.
For the study, published this week in natural medicine, scientists implanted a pair of thin metal electrodes along the neck to stimulate spinal cord activity. According to American Stroke Association.
“We found that electrical stimulation of specific regions of the spinal cord allows patients to move their arm in ways they cannot without the stimulation,” said the study’s lead author. Marco Capogrosso, PhDdirector of the spinal cord stimulation laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, said in a statement.
“Perhaps even more interestingly, we found that after a few weeks of use, some of these improvements persist when stimulation is turned off, indicating exciting avenues for the future of stroke therapies,” said Dr. Capogrosso.
More research needed before spinal stimulation becomes standard after stroke
Several questions remain unanswered. For one thing, both participants had had a stroke several years before electrical spinal cord stimulation treatment, and it’s unclear whether this technology could help people immediately after a stroke. Human trials with many more participants will also be needed to test whether this technology is safe and effective for widespread use.
Even if all goes well with further testing, it could be 7-10 years before a device like this is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically to restore movement after stroke. , said Marc Powell, PhDPresident and CEO of Reach Neuro, which is developing this technology.
Spinal cord stimulation technology uses a set of electrodes placed on the surface of the spinal cord to deliver electrical impulses that activate nerve cells inside the spinal cord. Also called neuromodulation, this technology has long been used to treat several types of chronic pain caused by conditions such as diabetes and nerve damage, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
More recently, scientists have begun testing spinal cord stimulation as a potential tool to help restore movement in people who are paralyzed or have reduced mobility after stroke or injury.
Spinal stimulation has helped in cases of paralysis after injury
A study published in 2018 in The New England Journal of Medicine found that electrical stimulation of the spinal cord could help restore some movement in people with paralysis. Another study published in 2022 in natural medicine found that this technology helped three men who had been paralyzed in motorcycle collisions to walk again. In a similar scenario, a study published in 2022 in the journal Brain found that electrical stimulation helped restore arm movement after spinal cord injury.
According to the American Stroke Association, current treatment for unilateral weakness after stroke may include targeted physical therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, and mobility assistive devices such as braces, canes, walkers, and wheelchairs.
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