Cited by 1,087Spinal Cord Injury ResearchStroke Rehabilitation and RecoveryPain Management and Treatment

Targeted neurotechnology restores walking in humans with spinal cord injury

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Wagner, Fabien B., Mignardot, Jean-Baptiste, Le Goff-Mignardot, Camille G., Demesmaeker, Robin, Komi, Salif, Capogrosso, Marco, Rowald, Andreas, Seáñez, Ismael +27 more·2018·Nature

Abstract

Spinal cord injury leads to severe locomotor deficits or even complete leg paralysis. Here we introduce targeted spinal cord stimulation neurotechnologies that enabled voluntary control of walking in individuals who had sustained a spinal cord injury more than four years ago and presented with permanent motor deficits or complete paralysis despite extensive rehabilitation. Using an implanted pulse generator with real-time triggering capabilities, we delivered trains of spatially selective stimulation to the lumbosacral spinal cord with timing that coincided with the intended movement. Within one week, this spatiotemporal stimulation had re-established adaptive control of paralysed muscles during overground walking. Locomotor performance improved during rehabilitation. After a few months, participants regained voluntary control over previously paralysed muscles without stimulation and could walk or cycle in ecological settings during spatiotemporal stimulation. These results establish a technological framework for improving neurological recovery and supporting the activities of daily living after spinal cord injury.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41586-018-0649-2

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46 of 46 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The participant had previously participated in the STIMO clinical trial, which involved a five-month neurorehabilitation programme supported by targeted epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord.

    “He had previously participated in the STIMO clinical trial (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02936453), which involved a five-month neurorehabilitation programme supported by targeted epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord4,5.”
  • Recruiting dorsal root entry zones with preprogrammed spatiotemporal sequences replicates the physiological activation of leg motor pools underlying standing and walking.

    “In turn, recruiting these dorsal root entry zones with preprogrammed spatiotemporal sequences replicates the physiological activation of leg motor pools underlying standing and walking4,5,11,13,14.”
  • The STIMO programme enabled the participant to regain the ability to step with the help of a front-wheel walker.

    “This programme enabled him to regain the ability to step with the help of a front-wheel walker.”
  • Walking involves well-defined sequences of muscle activation patterns that support weight acceptance, propulsion and swing of the left and right lower limbs, and these sequences coincide with activation of motor pools located within well-segregated regions of the lumbosacral spinal cord.

    “Walking involves well-defined sequences of muscle activation patterns that support weight acceptance, propulsion and swing of the left and right lower limbs. These sequences coincide with the activation of motor pools located within well-segregated regions of the lumbosacral spinal cord4,27.”
  • The physiological principles underlying targeted epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord have now been validated in nine out of nine treated individuals with incomplete and complete injuries.

    “First, the physiological principles underlying targeted epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord have now been validated in nine out nine treated individuals with incomplete4 and complete5 injuries6.”

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Authors
Wagner, F. B., Mignardot, J.-B., Le Goff-Mignardot, C. G., Demesmaeker, R., Komi, S., Capogrosso, M., Rowald, A., Seáñez, I., Caban, M., Pirondini, E., Vat, M., McCracken, L. A., Heimgartner, R., Fodor, I., Watrin, A., Seguin, P., Paoles, E., Van Den Keybus, K., Eberle, G., Schurch, B., Pralong, E., Becce, F., Prior, J., Buse, N., Buschman, R., Neufeld, E., Kuster, N., Carda, S., von Zitzewitz, J., Delattre, V., Denison, T., Lambert, H., Minassian, K., Bloch, J., & Courtine, G.
Affiliations
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CH)
  • University of Fribourg (CH)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
  • University of Geneva (CH)
  • Medtronic (United States) (US)
  • Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (CH)
  • ETH Zurich (CH)
Corresponding author
Courtine, Grégoire
Venue
Nature
Published
2018-10-31
Volume
563
Issue
7729
Pages
65-71
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2898429451
Cited by
1,087
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 110 · 2025: 160 · 2024: 117 · 2023: 153 · 2022: 152 · 2021: 176 · 2020: 125 · 2019: 81 · 2018: 10 · 2014: 1
FWCI
74.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Spinal Cord Injury Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
Keywords
spinal cord injury, spinal cord stimulation, neurotechnology, lumbosacral spinal cord, implanted pulse generator, voluntary motor control, paralysis, locomotor rehabilitation, neurological recovery, activities of daily living
MeSH terms
Activities of Daily Living, Computer Simulation, Electromyography, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Epidural Space, Humans, Leg, Locomotion, Male, Motor Neurons, Paralysis, Spinal Cord, Spinal Cord Injuries, Walking, Muscle, Skeletal, Biomedical Technology

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