Re-Routing Spinal Cord Signals Restores Movement in Paralyzed
Rats THURSDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- In research that hints
at new ways to tackle paralysis, a combination of drugs,
electrical stimulation and "willpower-based training" prompted
paralyzed rats to walk and even run. But experts noted the
treatment might not necessarily work in humans. Researchers at
the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology re-routed signals from
the rats' brains to their spinal cords with chemical injections,
electrodes and a chocolate reward that motivated them to walk
voluntarily, supporting their entire weight on their hind legs.
"We expected that the rats would recover some degree of
locomotor functions. We were, however, surprised about the
extent of the recovery -- paralyzed rats were able to pass
obstacles and run up stairs -- and the consistency with which we
observed it," said study co-author Janine Heutschi, a doctoral
student at the institute. "Because the rats actively participate
in the tasks, as opposed to auto