Digital Bridge to Restore Voluntary Control of Leg Movements After Paralysis

Spinal cord injury disrupts the connection between the brain and the regions of the spinal cord located below the lesion. This disruption impairs or even suppresses voluntary control of muscles, leading to permanent paralysis. Yet, the motor cortex remains able to generate meaningful neuronal activity during attempts to move the paralyzed limbs. This activity can be detected as electrical potential recorded at the surface of the brain. Similarly, the regions of the spinal cord involved in the control of leg muscles are generally intact, and can be reactivated using epidural electrical stimulation. Here, we designed a digital bridge between the motor cortex and the regions of the spinal cord involved in the control of leg movements, with the aim to restore voluntary control of leg muscles in a participant with paralysis due to a chronic spinal cord injury. We built this implantable digital bridge by linking an epidural electrocorticographic recording system to an implanted epidural spinal cord stimulation system. We initiated a clinical study to test the safety and efficacy of this Brain Spine Interface (BSI) in restoring voluntary control of leg muscles to stand and walk after spinal cord injury.