research studies to restore function to paralyzed limbs

Here is My Question:
I have female patient who has had MS complete paralysis for over 10 years now, is age 50 and is not sick nor has any chronic illnesses. Mentally stable, can move her head and shoulders, slightly able to move her chest forward,

Just want to ask if is there anything that could help her move her arms and legs again,

She’s bedridden and utilizing a wheelchair when going out of the house.

Answer:
To my knowledge, your patient would not be a candidate for any current research studies to restore function to paralyzed limbs. Mind controlled interfaces bypassing areas of injury in the spinal cord (so called digital bridges) to volitionally activate gait programs in the lower spinal cord are now possible following spinal cord injury. Other approaches including cybernetic frames to assist residual movement or mind-controlled robotic limbs are also possible. 

The main problem with MS is the diffuse injury and damage to the nervous system; there is not a single injury at a spinal cord level in most cases of MS. This diffuse injury makes it difficult, though not impossible, to apply these techniques. In particular assisted activation of movement using attached frames is an area of research using MS patients.

If you find any research group interested in using MS patients for these applications, please let us know so we can post the information for our readers.

Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
University of California San Diego
#restorefunction #spinalcord #MS #multiplesclerosis