A breakthrough medical procedure using an implant targeting the spinal cord has allowed a Parkinson’s patient to walk 6km (3.7 miles) without problems. The procedure was performed on a 62-year-old man named Marc from Bordeaux, France, who had developed severe mobility impairments due to Parkinson’s disease. Prior to the surgery, Marc struggled to walk without falling frequently throughout the day. He described feeling frozen in place and unable to move, even in situations like entering a lift.
The surgery, which took place at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) in Switzerland, involved the placement of an electrode field against Marc’s spinal cord and an electrical impulse generator under the skin of his abdomen. Unlike conventional Parkinson’s treatments that target brain regions affected by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons, this procedure focused on the spinal area associated with activating leg muscles for walking.
To perform the surgery, the research team used a personalized map of Marc’s spinal cord to identify the specific locations signaling leg movements. Marc also wears movement sensors on each leg that communicate with the implant. When the sensors detect that Marc is trying to walk, the implant switches on and sends electrical impulses to the targeted spinal neurons, adapting to his movement in real-time.
The results have been remarkable. Marc reported that after several weeks of rehabilitation, he was able to walk practically normally with the stimulation provided by the implant. He now wears the implant for approximately eight hours a day and turns it off only when sleeping or lying down. The stimulation has significantly improved his ability to walk and stabilize, to the point where he is no longer afraid of stairs. Marc now walks around 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) every Sunday and describes the experience as incredible.
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The project supervisor, Jocelyne Bloch, a professor and neurosurgeon at CHUV Lausanne University Hospital, expressed her excitement about the results. She stated that the precise stimulation of the lumbar spinal cord had led to remarkable improvements in gait deficits caused by Parkinson’s disease. She believes that these results open up realistic perspectives for developing a treatment.
However, the researchers acknowledge that there is still work to be done to optimize the procedure for wider use. Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch, the co-leads of the research, are collaborating with Onward Medical to develop a commercial version of the neuroprosthetic. Their goal is to provide general access to this innovative technology and improve the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients worldwide.
The research is continuing, with plans to study six new patients in 2024. The upcoming work is being funded by a generous donation of $1 million from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. This contribution adds to the foundation’s already significant funding, which has surpassed $1.5 billion for Parkinson’s research.
This breakthrough in Parkinson’s treatment offers hope to millions of people living with the disease. By targeting the spinal cord and activating leg muscles for walking, the procedure has shown promising results in improving mobility. As research and development progress, it is anticipated that this technology will become more widely available, allowing more Parkinson’s patients to regain their ability to walk and enhance their quality of life.
