A trio of patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy saw significant improvements in their muscle function while receiving electrical stimulation in their lower spines, according to research released yesterday. The process is the first neurotechnology to reverse the decay of nerve circuitry and revive cell function in patients with a neurodegenerative disease.
Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare, inherited disease that gradually kills off spinal nerve cells responsible for muscle movement (how it works). As the so-called motor neurons die, the muscles they control wither, causing significant mobility issues. There is currently no cure, though treatments exist to slow the disease's progression.
In the trial, two spinal cord stimulation electrodes implanted in three individuals with the disease's milder form (Types 3 or 4) were stimulated for four hours at a time over 29 days. During the test period, each patient saw gains in leg strength, walking distance, and more, though upon removal, the implant's benefits faded. Larger clinical trials are expected, as well as applications to other neurodegenerative diseases.
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