Severe spinal cord injuries are a definite indication towards paralysis. New developments in stem cell technology and improved instrumentations have made it possible to cure paralysis.
V. Reggie Edgerton from University of California is developing a neural bridge, which helps impulses to jump over the injured part of the spinal cord. The experiment was performed on rats with paralyzed hind limbs.
Electrodes are placed on different locations on the rat’s limbs. Rather than connecting electrodes to neurons or muscles, electrodes are attached to neural bridge on the outside membrane of the injured spinal cord. Slow pulses of electricity fire up the spinal circuitry associated with stepping, and, once the fore limbs start to bear weight, the spinal cord recognizes the resulting sensory information and generates stepping motions on its own in the hind limbs—no brain connection required.