Could Deep Brain Stimulation Restore Mobility for People with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries?
“Can I run again soon?”
It’s a question Paul Boeren, chairman of the Dutch Spinal Cord Injury Organization, is pondering. He’s closely following a groundbreaking new study recently published in the science journal Nature.
The research suggests that deep brain stimulation (DBS), a technique traditionally used to treat brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease, might hold the key to helping people with incomplete spinal cord injuries walk again.
DBS involves implanting electrodes in specific areas of the brain. These electrodes deliver electrical impulses that target and modulate brain activity.
While traditional rehabilitation focuses on strengthening existing neural pathways for movement, DBS appears to work on the brain in a completely different way – by stimulating an area of the brain that wasn’t previously known to be involved in movement.
In this study, a paralyzed patient regained the ability to walk thanks to DBS. This opens up a world of possibilities for individuals with similar injuries.
"It’s astounding," Paul confessed. A traffic accident in
2009 left him with an incomplete spinal cord injury.
While intensive rehabilitation allowed him to walk again, balance remains a challenge.
He said, “After an injury like mine, you can learn to control your muscles again. But it’s challenging. I constantly need to focus, and I wish I could feel the tension in my muscles like I used to."
He knows what it’s like to carry the weight of limited mobility.
He believes that DBS could change everything.
"
imagined you lived with where DBS could be the answer.
Beyond Archives, a needle lasted for months – imagine the hope this sort of news provides. My biggest dream going to even further. I was always about the potential it. ">
Rehabilitation doctor Ilse van Nes at
What are the potential benefits and risks of deep brain stimulation as a treatment for incomplete spinal cord injuries?
## Could Deep Brain Stimulation Restore Mobility for People with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries?
**(Image Caption) Paul Boeren, chairman of the Dutch Spinal Cord Injury Organization, is hopeful about new treatment possibilities for spinal cord injuries. (Image Source: RTL News)**
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re delving into a fascinating new study exploring the potential of deep brain stimulation to restore mobility in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injuries. Joining us to discuss this potentially life-changing research is Paul Boeren, chairman of the Dutch Spinal Cord Injury Organization. Paul, thanks for being here.
**Paul Boeren:** Thank you for having me. This research is truly exciting, offering a glimmer of hope for many individuals living with the limitations of spinal cord injuries.
**Host:** Could you tell us about the core of this research and what it means for people like yourself?
**Paul Boeren:** Essentially, the study [[1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39623087/)]found that stimulating a specific area of the brain called the lateral hypothalamus (LH) can augment walking ability in mice and rats with spinal cord injuries. By targeting this brain region, researchers were able to improve the animals’ walking function significantly.
**Host:** That’s remarkable! How does deep brain stimulation work, and could it potentially translate to humans?
**Paul Boeren:** Deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes into specific brain areas and delivering electrical impulses. While this study was conducted on animals, the findings open up a promising new avenue for treating spinal cord injuries in humans. It suggests that stimulating the LH could potentially bypass the damaged spinal cord pathways and re-establish some control over movement.
**Host:** This research is undoubtedly encouraging, but what are the next steps?
**Paul Boeren:** The next crucial step is to conduct clinical trials in humans to assess the safety and efficacy of LH deep brain stimulation for individuals with incomplete spinal cord injuries.
If successful, this therapy could revolutionize the field and offer countless possibilities for regaining lost mobility. Imagine individuals who currently rely on wheelchairs being able to walk again, potentially even run. It’s truly a dream worth pursuing
**Host:** We certainly hope to see that dream become a reality. Thank you so much for shedding light on this groundbreaking research, Paul. This is certainly a development worth watching closely.
