New Technology for Treating Spinal Cord Injuries

A new technology called 'e-Dura' has successfully demonstrated the possibility of reconnecting severed or damaged nerve cells in limbs to the spinal cord through the implantation of a receptor. According to a report published on January 30 in the Telegraph, this neural receptor has properties that prevent the body from rejecting it. 'Stephanie Lacour,' the project manager at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, states: 'Connecting to nerve cells and implanting receptors is possible, but the body often rejects them because the implanted organ does not behave like body tissue, leading to infection and rejection.' She adds: 'We have developed a type of implantable receptor that is soft, flexible, and behaves like muscle. This receptor can transmit both electrical and chemical stimuli.' According to the 'Higher Learning' website and Ms. Lacour, by implanting this receptor, the research team was able to restore walking ability to paralyzed mice. After implantation and several weeks of training, the previously paralyzed mice were able to walk again. 'John Hunt,' head of the medical engineering department at the University of Liverpool, also stated that this research opens new horizons for improving patients with spinal disorders. This receptor can connect to the spinal cord without causing any damage and can transmit messages to the limb. The 'e-Dura' technology, meaning electronic dura mater, mimics the behavior of the tissues surrounding the spinal cord. Ms. Lacour briefly explains this in a video published on the YouTube channel of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, mentioning that steps are being taken to bring this technology to market.