United States: A new spinal cord implant has shown promising results for patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic disorder that gradually weakens muscles, significantly improving mobility and walking abilities in individuals who previously had no hope for recovery.
Electrical Stimulation Improves Muscle Function
Three adult SMA patients were given electrical stimulation implants, leading to noticeable improvements in muscle strength and mobility within just one month. According to Marco Capogrosso, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, the patients were “definitely not expecting an improvement,” but showed remarkable progress, as reported by HealthDay.
A Revolutionary Approach to Muscle Deterioration
SMA attacks motor neurons, the pathways that send signals from the spinal cord to muscles. This degeneration leads to muscle weakness, difficulty with walking, standing, and severe respiratory problems. The implant works by sending electrical pulses to activate weakened muscles in the lower spinal cord, improving strength and movement.
Key Findings from the Study
The patients showed improvements in core strength, reduced muscle fatigue, and enhanced mobility when the implant was activated. Notably, all three participants were able to walk further during a six-minute walking test, with one patient even developing the ability to stand after initially starting in a kneeling position.
Ongoing Benefits with Limitations
Though the improvements were significant, the effects began to fade over time, particularly after the device was removed due to the brief nature of the study. Six weeks post-treatment, patients showed trace improvements, but by six months, the benefits had disappeared.
Experts Weigh In on the Study’s Importance
Susan Harkema, a neuroscientist who has conducted groundbreaking spinal cord research, praised the study as an important contribution to advancing spinal cord injury and disease treatments. “Human spinal circuitry is very sophisticated…this is a solid study,” Harkema explained.
A New Era in SMA Treatment
The research, published in Nature Medicine, opens doors for spinal stimulation technology as a potential treatment for SMA and other muscle-degenerative diseases, offering a new level of hope for patients battling these debilitating conditions, as reported by HealthDay.