Restore the walking ability of paralyzed mice

A combination of medication, electrical impulses and regular exercise can cause rats to become paralyzed and even run at their normal ability.

Research results suggest that the ability of paralyzed rats does not necessarily require regeneration of severely damaged nerves. Because rats have many human-like characteristics, this study implies mentioning the recovery of human spinal cord injury.

Researcher Reggie Edgerton, a professor of neurology and biomedical sciences at the University of California, said: 'There is no need for an input signal from the brain, only the spinal cord also has an adjustable nerve system rhythmically, causing the muscles in the hind legs to move, like moving around. We call it 'go to work'. ' Participating in this work are researchers from Zurich University.

The results of this study were published on September 20, 2009 on the Web site of Nature Neuroscience.

He also added that 'Previous studies have tried to put this nervous system into helping victims of spinal cord injury. In patients with complete marrow paralysis, their leg movements are very weak. They cannot carry the maximum weight that the body normally has, and they still have to go off like we mentioned above. '

Restoring the walking ability of paralyzed mice (Photo: fangybunny.files.wordpress.com)

Edgerton's team experimented on mice with complete spinal cord injury and were unable to manipulate the hind legs themselves. After placing heavy objects on them, the scientists adjusted the drug to act on neurotransmitters and used low-intensity electrical impulses on the spinal cord below the injury point.

Practice every day for several weeks to help your mouse regain the best walking ability, including going backwards, turning sides and running. However, the injury still interferes with the communication between the brain and the spinal nerve system that controls travel, making the mice unable to follow their own will.
However, artificial neural devices can somehow help people recover from spinal cord injuries. Therefore, activating the spinal nerve system as the University of California team did could be useful in recovering from a medullary injury.

This research is funded by Christopher-Dana Reeve Foundation, Craig Nielsen Foundation, American National Institute of Stroke and Neurology, Civil Research and Development Fund, International Polio Fund, National Science Foundation Swiss family and Russian basic research fund.