Spinal cord stimulation restores neural function, targets key feature of progressive neurodegenerative disease; could also help ALS

[powerpadman]

This article highlights spinal cord stimulation as a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). It discusses the results of a pilot clinical trial that showed spinal cord stimulation can improve muscle strength and walking in adults with SMA.

The study is the first to show that a neurotechnology can be engineered to reverse degeneration of neural circuits and rescue cell function in a human neurodegenerative disease.

The researchers believe that this approach could also be applied to other neurodegenerative diseases including ALS.

 

[JAM]

I wish it could be that easy- to just try it in 3 ALS patients, but after seeing how slow things move in research (due to many factors) I doubt very much it will be anytime soon

 

[lgelb]

If/as it's approved for anyone, it will be a regulated medical device, entailing a surgical procedure to implant electrodes.

Diaphragm pacing, another implanted electrode treatment, actually sped up progression in some PALS, but this was not confirmed till after numerous surgeries had been done. Motor neurons can burn out even before ALS would, by too much or the wrong kind of stimulation.

Those in the spine are further upstream, but it remains to be seen if neurostim can be "dosed" safely and effectively in ALS.

 

[Gabs]

There is increasing evidence that tDCS also is beneficial to pALS.

 

[Michanth]

One can be hopeful