Damaged Spinal Cords Re-Routed

In an astonishing breakthrough, patients left paralysed by severe spinal cord injuries have recovered the ability to move their legs after training with an exoskeleton linked to their brain – with one even able to walk using two crutches.

Scientists developed the Walk Again Project, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, thinking that they could enable paraplegics to move about using the exoskeleton controlled by their thoughts.

But they were surprised to discover that during the training, the eight patients all started to regain the sense of touch and movement below the injury to their spine.… researchers now believe that a few nerves survived and these were reactivated by the training, which may have rewired circuits in the brain.…