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New Implant Lets Paralyzed Rats Walk Again

Posted by samzenpus on from the on-your-feet-again dept.

An anonymous reader writes A team from EPFL and NCCR Robotics led by Profs Stéphanie Lacour, Grégoire Courtine and Silvestro Micera published an article in Science today describing their e-dura implant that could revolutionize how we think about and treat paralysis. Until now, implants placed beneath the dura mater of the spinal cord have caused significant tissue damage when used over long periods. Research shows that the new e-dura implant is viable for months at a time in animal subjects. The team is now moving on to clinical trials in human subjects and is developing their prototype to take to market.

35 comments

  1. Waiting for this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    for a long time now!

    1. Re: Waiting for this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its Viagra for your legs!

  2. Thank god by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 1, Funny

    I'm really tired of walking past dozens of empty reserved for paralyzed rat parking places to get into the grocery store.

    1. Re:Thank god by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      I have always had one issue with handicap, While I understand that for a lot of people who need it it really improves their quality of life. However there are often more handicap spots then cars. So when the parking lot is full you are probably better off parking in some dangerous way then actually going in a handicap spot as the fines are less.
      If the lot is full, you should be allowed to park in the furthest ways handicap spot.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re:Thank god by will_die · · Score: 4, Interesting

      They tried that at work and after a few weeks people figured they could just start parking in them no matter what and the parking lot would fill up over time.

    3. Re:Thank god by DigiShaman · · Score: 2

      My favorite is when seeing a (seemingly) healthy person get out of a car from a previous hard athletic workout, with a smoothy in hand, and proceed to walk into the Target store. This car is allowed for handicapped parking.

      Either this person is borrowing the car of a person who truly is handicapped, or the entire system of what defines someone as handicapped is more broken then they are.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    4. Re:Thank god by dpilot · · Score: 1

      Right up there with seeing a perfectly healthy person with two free hands hit the handicapped door opener button, rather than open the door by hand.

      --
      The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
    5. Re:Thank god by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "I have always had one issue with handicap, While I understand that for a lot of people who need it it really improves their quality of life. "

      Only for golfers.

    6. Re:Thank god by nospam007 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "My favorite is when seeing a (seemingly) healthy person get out of a car from a previous hard athletic workout, with a smoothy in hand, and proceed to walk into the Target store. This car is allowed for handicapped parking.

      Either this person is borrowing the car of a person who truly is handicapped, or the entire system of what defines someone as handicapped is more broken then they are."

      Or they come and get a person in wheelchair in that persons' car whom they brought earlier.
      That's how I do it.
      I'm aware of the looks that people throw at me.:-)

    7. Re:Thank god by morgauxo · · Score: 2

      No, those two things are nothing the same. Hitting the door button does not make the door button unavailable to the next person who actually needs it. Filling up a parking space does.

      I hit those buttons (with my knee or elbow) all the time. I especially like to do that when entering/exiting a public restroom. Do you have any idea how many people use the toilet and don't wash their hands? The first thing they touch after wiping their ass is that door handle!

    8. Re:Thank god by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 1

      My favorite is when seeing a (seemingly) healthy person get out of a car from a previous hard athletic workout, with a smoothy in hand, and proceed to walk into the Target store. This car is allowed for handicapped parking.

      Either this person is borrowing the car of a person who truly is handicapped, or the entire system of what defines someone as handicapped is more broken then they are.

      I don't have a smoothie in hand, but I often times drop off my wife at the front door and then park the car. Usually my daughter gets her a wheelchair while I'm parking. Or I get it for her after parking. I usually park somewhere else if there is a close spot. But I don't worry about it in bad weather, or on the off chance she may want to try to get to the car when we leave the store.

      But, yeah I know what you're talking about. I see people park there all the time for no good reason. Hell, most of the people that have handicapped tags or placards don't have any reason to get them. I think some doctors just give them out to people if they live to a certain age. Back when my wife was still able to walk from the parking lot to the front door, most people that parked in those spaces looked like they were sprinting compared to her. Because my wife has MS, I never park in the handicapped spots when she's not with me. I know how miserable it is for her to get around, so I'd hate to cause any additional problems for anyone else who may need to park there.

    9. Re:Thank god by neoritter · · Score: 1

      I do it all the time, if someone is coming that is too far for me to wait and old, but close enough that hitting the Handicap button would keep the door open for them.

    10. Re:Thank god by neoritter · · Score: 1

      So on that note, screw you. I was probably trying to a marginally nice thing for you.

    11. Re:Thank god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've seen Brits make the same mistake, more often than not. I'll convey them your regards.

    12. Re:Thank god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My American Sign Language teacher (who was Deaf) mentioned how annoyed she was that her Deaf friends were getting handicapped stickers, allowing them to park in those spots.

      Yes, they are legally recognized as having a handicap, but not a physical one. The definition of handicapped is more broken than you'd think.

    13. Re:Thank god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I drive my Mom around; she's the one with the handicap sticker. I drop her off right in front of the store, and then park the car in the handicap spot _for when she comes out_. If you ask, I will tell you that. I do not park in the handicap spot unless I am driving her somewhere.

      Yes, there are douchebags. But there are also valid reasons for someone able-bodied to step out of a car in a handicap spot.

      Just an FYI.

    14. Re:Thank god by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      People are generally quicker to find an excuse to think ill of someone else than to find reasons why that other person might be fully justified.

      It seems to be a side effect of the psychological need to feel good about one's self. Feeling badly of others helps one feel good about one's self. So, the brain jumps on such opportunities.

    15. Re:Thank god by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Which is why "sanitary alignment" is necessary. For example, the paper towel waste bin should be right next to the door handle in that it's in close proximity and doesn't obstruct opening the door. The whole idea being that if you must touch the door knob/handle, you do so with the paper towel before you reach other and toss it into the bin. Of course, if the bathroom was designed properly, either a door isn't required (like in an a large airport), or it doesn't require anyone to touch it.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    16. Re:Thank god by morgauxo · · Score: 1

      Ok, that's better than just touching the door but why the hell would you bother if you can just knee the handicap button?

      Again... using it is not like a parking space. It does not make it unavailable for the next person. Nobody is going to wet their wheelchair because you pushed the button.

  3. Why put 'e' in front of it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Unless you're totally and utterly gay? If this was the oughts, I suppose it would have been the 'i-dura'.

    1. Re:Why put 'e' in front of it by The+Real+Dr+John · · Score: 4, Informative

      if you read the abstract, you would have seen that the e stands for electronic, as in electronic dura.

      --
      A brain is a terrible thing to waste... Mind? That's debatable.
  4. Paralyzed rats by rossdee · · Score: 3, Funny

    Never mind them walking, how about getting them to pass some legislation, approve some nominees, and attend to the country'e debts.

    Oh wait, you don't mean the ones in Washington

    1. Re:Paralyzed rats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Never mind them walking, how about getting them to pass some legislation, approve some nominees, and attend to the country'e debts.

      Oh wait, you don't mean the ones in Washington

      The American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association will be serving you with a libel and slander suit shortly for insulting rats that way.

  5. I, for one, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    welcome our paralyzed rats overlords!

  6. Stay golden, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pony Rat

  7. needs more work by SemperUbi · · Score: 2

    These newer implants could still cause tissue damage over time at a slower rate, but rats don't live more than 2-3 years. Sounds like they need to test this in a species with a longer lifespan before using human subjects.

    1. Re: needs more work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We need bigger rats.

    2. Re:needs more work by Translation+Error · · Score: 1

      Absolutely, but before starting a long-term test, expensive in time, manpower, and resources, it's important to do one that's less ambitious to make sure the concept/execution doesn't have any serious flaws.

      --
      When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
  8. Finally! by Marginal+Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    There's hope for Dr. Strangelove.

  9. Only months? by morgauxo · · Score: 1

    Ok, I get it that this is an improvement over what they could do before but it doesn't sound ready for human use to me. What happens after "months" are up? Does it then cause the tissue damage that the old implants caused sooner? Does this mean the spinal cord is even further damaged, preventing the surgery being repeated? Or can they then just go in and replace it with a new implant and everything is like it was the first time?

    Since human trials were mentioned I would expect the article to answer these kinds of questions!

  10. Re:We could try it out on MI5's chief's brain! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You see, you got downvoted because everyone here knows that it'd be better if we just fired him immediately and banned him from ever working in government ever again.

    He's not 'not thinking clearly'. He's malevolent.

  11. Motorcycles! by Scottingham · · Score: 1

    Yet more encouraging news for those of use who ride the donor cycles!

    I also do full gear all the time though...so I'm not exactly dumb (relatively) about it.

    In a slightly morbid way I kinda look forward to becoming eligible for the front lines of this cyborg future.

  12. Cue Sarah Palin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Once again these worthless liberal scientists have blown hard-working, god-fearing American taxpayers' money - this time by helping rats to walk! This insanity has got to stop. Cut their funding now".