We Were Wrong About Paralysis | Freethink Superhuman

Spinal implants hold an incredible promise - to help cure paralysis caused by severe spinal cord injuries. Meet the scientists and patients doing the impossible. Subscribe: https://freeth.ink/youtube-subscribe-spinalimplant

Dr. Harkema and her team at the University of Louisville believe everything we thought about the spinal cord is wrong. We always thought that it was simply a conduit for messages from the brain. But her research suggests that the spinal cord itself thinks and despite a severe injury, the severed section can be reactivated through electronic implants giving patient back the ability to not just walk and feel but even regulate blood pressure, regain bladder control or even sexual functions. Now, they are using an off the shelf electronic implant to prove that the spinal cord itself can learn, giving patients back the ability to walk and feel. If these implants were to be specially designed as a spinal cord stimulator, it could be the most promising form of curing a spinal cord injury available.

In this video, we meet Dr. Harkema and her team, who are combining internal medicine, physical therapy, and functional electrical stimulation to treat paralyzed patients with spinal cord injuries. We also talk to paraplegics walking as they rehabilitate injuries thought to be life-long. We meet a spine surgeon who implants the electrodes into the spine in order to help the rehabilitation.

What do you think? What medical innovations and bionics are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!

For more stories profiling pioneers of science and tech innovation, subscribe to Freethink on YouTube: https://freeth.ink/youtube-subscribe-toc

Join the Freethink forum for people interested in making a difference: http://www.facebook.com/groups/freethinkforum

And follow Freethink across other platforms here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freethinkmedia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/freethinkmedia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freethink
Website: http://www.freethink.com

Видео We Were Wrong About Paralysis | Freethink Superhuman канала Freethink