Four paraplegic young men to be able to move their legs through epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord.

All four men were diagnosed as having chronic, motor complete spinal cord injuries and were unable to move their lower extremities prior to the study which was funded in part by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and conducted by researchers from the University of Louisville, UCLA and the Pavlov Institute of Physiology.

However, once they had epidural stimulators implanted, according to the study’s lead author Claudia Angeli:

“They can now voluntarily move their hips, ankles and toes.”

The groundbreaking therapy of epidural stimulation works by applying an electrical current to specific location on the spinal chord which correspond to “dense neural bundles” that control movement of the hips, knees, ankles, and toes. Once the signal is triggered by these varying frequencies and intensities by the implant, the spinal chord re-engages with the neural network to control muscle movements.

This electrical therapy is paired with rehabilitative therapy to help the spinal network learn more quickly, and improve motor functions.

Director of the Reeve Foundation’s NeuroRecovery Network, Susan Harkema, said:

“The belief that no recovery is possible and complete paralysis is permanent has been challenged.”