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Brain stimulation can help injured people walk: study

AFP
Tuesday, Dec 03, 2024

PARIS: Scientists said on Monday that electrically stimulating a particular region in the brain could help people with injured spinal cords walk more easily, with one patient describing how the technique allowed him to conquer his fear of stairs.

The new technique is intended for people with spinal cord injuries where the connection between their brain and spinal cord has not been totally severed, and who still have some movement in their legs.

Wolfgang Jaeger, one of two patients who took part in an early trial, said that it immediately made a “big difference” to his mobility. “Now when I see a staircase with just a few steps, I know I can handle it on my own,” the 54-year-old said in a video released alongside a new study in the journal Nature Medicine.