Progress in Medicine

February 11, 2022
Article by Daniel Laskowski from menworld.pl titled "Paralysis from the Waist Down No Longer Prevents... Walking, Thanks to Implants"

Spinal cord injury used to be a life sentence — permanent disability. However, thanks to implants that stimulate the nerves in the back and legs, paralysis from the waist down is no longer an obstacle to walking.

The development of technology never ceases to amaze. This article covers three individuals who had lost the ability to walk due to spinal cord injuries. But thanks to surgery performed by Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at the University Hospital of Lausanne, these three people are now able to walk again — albeit with the help of crutches or a walker. But still, they are walking!

IMPLANTS THAT STIMULATE NERVES MAKE PARALYSIS FROM THE WAIST DOWN NO LONGER A LIFE SENTENCE

One moment of inattention, an unfortunate accident, and you're... "grounded" for life. This sad story was the reality for Michael Roccati, who was involved in a motorcycle accident that left him with a spinal cord injury, resulting in paralysis from the waist down. However, it turns out that this is not a life sentence that forces someone to spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair. After a few months of rehabilitation, Michael Roccati was able to walk again. Remarkably, he could feel movement in his legs shortly after the surgery, which is nothing short of extraordinary.

15.07.2019
Article by Wajciech Moskal from wyborcza.pl titled "Medical Breakthrough. Doctors Restore Hand Mobility to Completely Paralyzed Patients".

Thanks to nerve transplants, 13 patients can now independently eat, drink, or brush their teeth. The achievement by Australian doctors is reported in the latest issue of "The Lancet".

"For those who have nothing left, even 'something small' can mean a huge change," said Dr. Sterling Bunnell, a pioneer in surgical methods to help paralyzed people. These words are echoed by experts commenting on the work published today by a team from Austin Health and the University of Melbourne. In this case, though, it's hard to agree with the term 'something small'.

13 young people with tetraplegia (paralysis of all four limbs) can now eat, hold a glass of water or a toothbrush, write, apply makeup, use a computer, smartphone, or other devices.

It wasn't easy.

"First, one or more surgeries. Then, two years of intense training and rehabilitation. Only then were our patients able to move their hand in front of their face, open and close their hand to grip an object. By restoring the ability to bend and straighten their elbow, they could try to independently control their wheelchair and move to their bedroom or car," says Dr. Natasha van Zyl, who led the project.

Bypassing the damaged area

The experimental therapy involved 16 patients (13 men and 3 women) with an average age of 27, whose spinal cords were injured in the cervical region (specifically between the fifth and seventh cervical vertebrae) due to accidents, often road or sports-related injuries.

The qualification for therapy required the injury to have occurred less than 18 months ago.

"We performed single or multiple nerve grafts on all these patients," says van Zyl.

How exactly did this work? The authors describe it in "The Lancet".

First, we tried to locate the nerves originating from the spinal cord above the damaged area. We looked for very specific nerves — those controlling less important muscles, which could be 'sacrificed,' for instance, because their functions could be compensated by other nearby muscles. We then cut these nerves and connected them to fibers that innervated the paralyzed muscles (those from below the spinal injury). This way, for example, functioning fibers supplying the teres minor muscle were connected to non-functioning nerves that control the triceps muscle.

Gradually, we restored the function of the triceps muscle and other nerves and muscles, enabling finger and hand movements. In short, the surgeons selected working nerves from above the injury and connected them to non-working nerves that move the arms.

A safe and relatively accessible method

In most patients, the transplants were performed on both upper limbs. In addition to nerves, ten patients also received tendon transplants to help with moving previously paralyzed muscles.

"The transplanted nerves allowed patients to regain control over the muscles, while the transplanted tendons gave them additional strength to perform specific movements and lift objects," explains Natasha van Zyl.

"Our patients regained a significant part of control over their lives. It's a remarkable change in daily life, both for them and their families," adds van Zyl.

The method worked for 13 out of 16 patients. Three did not regain the use of their hands. "This is a topic for the next stages of research — determining which patients can benefit the most," says van Zyl. Current observations suggest that the best results were achieved when the surgery was performed within 6-12 months after the injury.

No significant complications were noted, proving that the method is safe. Importantly, it is also not extremely expensive.

"Of course, artificial limbs, neuroprostheses, and stem cells are the future. But for now, nerve transplants could be a much more accessible method for treating paralyzed individuals," argues Dr. Ida Fox from Washington University in St. Louis, USA, in a special commentary for "The Lancet".

13.12.2018
Report by Marta Balukiewicz on Fakty w południe on TVN24 titled "Six Years After a Medical Miracle: Patient Walks, Rides a Bicycle After Spinal Cord Reconstruction."

Once unable to move his legs or even feel them, six years after the experimental operation hailed as a medical miracle, Mr. Dariusz Fidyka is slowly regaining mobility. He has a reconstructed spinal cord and now rides a bicycle, lifts weights, and diligently rehabilitates. There is hope for another patient with a cut rather than a completely severed spinal cord to regain strength in their legs. Doctors in Wrocław have just announced the qualification of the first of five hundred waiting for the procedure for innovative treatment.

Mr. Dariusz Fidyka trains diligently. Like a professional athlete, he spends even two hundred hours a month in this special gym. Rehabilitation specialists refer to it as rehabilitative training. As Mr. Dariusz himself says, he is physically feeling better, and his endurance has significantly improved after training.

A man who was never supposed to stand from his wheelchair now takes steps with increasing confidence. Although he still cannot get on a bicycle by himself, he can ride one. "Two years after the operation, that seemed unreal. A person constantly raises their own bar and wants more. I believe that all the sweat poured out in the training room will not be in vain."

"It felt like life had ended"

Dariusz Fidyka was completely paralyzed from the waist down since 2010. One of the eighteen stab wounds inflicted by an assailant severed his spinal cord. The former firefighter did not walk for two years. He recalls that at that time, he felt as if life "had come to an end."

Hope appeared with a visit to Dr. Paweł Tabakow, who performed the innovative operation in 2012. At that time, Włodzimierz Jarmundowicz from the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław said on camera that this was the first and only operation of its kind in the world.

Cells taken from the patient's olfactory bulb were implanted around the spinal cord. Two years later, the success of Polish doctors was hailed as a medical miracle, which was reported worldwide.

"Dramatic improvement after exercise"

Jakub Borowczyk, a rehabilitation specialist, states that there is a dramatic change after exercise. In his opinion, there is a significant difference between the patient's condition before exercises and the current state. Stefan Okurowski, the head of the Akson Rehabilitation Department, says that the experience gained by doctors thanks to Dariusz Fidyka is "absolutely unique and invaluable." "He uncovers problems that we had no idea existed."

Now, the courage of the doctors, combined with Mr. Dariusz's strength and determination, is slowly yielding results. "We are observing improvements in trunk muscle strength, overall patient endurance, and slight improvements in sexual function," says Dr. hab. Paweł Tabakow, head of the Neurosurgery Clinic at the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław.

"We must keep the momentum going"

Dr. Tabakow shows previously unpublished images, which he says are irrefutable evidence of the therapy's effectiveness. These are results from an MRI of the spinal cord, performed before and two years after the operation. You can see how doctors managed to restore the continuity of the spinal cord, thus giving hope to other patients. "We must keep the momentum going and continue our therapy," says Dr. Tabakow.

There is a chance for this. Among five hundred applicants who signed up for the project, the second candidate has just been selected. He is a thirty-year-old from Romania, a patient who has not experienced any improvement in neurological status for over four years since his spinal cord injury.

Doctors are still looking for another patient who meets the criteria described on the project website. More surgeries are planned for early next year.

8.12.2018
Article by Katarzyna Sudnik from TVP Wrocław titled "Another Patient, Following Dariusz Fidyka, with a Chance for Innovative Treatment."

The first was Dariusz Fidyka—doctors in Wrocław reconstructed his severed spinal cord. They have just announced that after two years of searching, another patient has been qualified for innovative treatment. The University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław is implementing an international program, with over 500 patients from around the world applying.

Just two years ago, this was absolutely unimaginable. Dariusz Fidyka, who in 2012 had olfactory glial cells implanted around his severed spinal cord by Wrocław neurosurgeons, now rides a bicycle. "Innovative, extraordinary, experimental on a global scale"—these are the words specialists continue to use to describe the spinal regeneration method applied by the Polish-British research team for a paralyzed patient.

Every day, the patient trains intensively for several hours. The rehabilitation is yielding results. So spectacular that funding for the patient's rehabilitation has been secured for the next year through a British foundation. Mr. Dariusz walks more effectively and quickly in special braces. Most importantly, he is aware of taking each new step. He trains like an Olympic athlete—over 200 hours a month. For everyone involved, this is a tremendous challenge, as he is the only patient of his kind in the world.

Now it has been announced that another patient has been selected for the spinal regeneration program. He is a thirty-something citizen of Romania, whom the Wrocław doctors plan to operate on in the middle of next year.

A report on the same topic can be viewed on Fakty Wrocław (from the 11th minute)

24.08.2018
Article by Jan Stradowski from Focus magazine titled "High-Risk Clinic." Stem cell therapy is one of the greatest hopes of modern medicine. This hope is exploited by fraudsters promising patients a cure for incurable diseases.

The full article with pictures is available in the entire August issue of "Focus." Purchase is possible, among others, at Publio.pl /price: 7.64 PLN/

More and more private facilities are offering patients paid procedures using stem cells. Many of them lack scientific basis and can lead to a deterioration in health.

The condition of patients with spinal cord injuries who were injected with stem cells improved—scientists from the University of California in San Diego announced in early June. This is the first successful attempt of its kind in the world, providing hope for an effective therapy for individuals previously considered permanently disabled. Experts emphasize, however, that the research is still in very early stages.
– The results are incredible, but they pertain to only a few individuals. And although a slight improvement in clinical parameters, such as muscle reactions or sensory responses, has been noted, it has not affected the patients' functioning in any way – comments Prof. Eva Feldman from the University of Michigan.
Similar reports are increasing. Stem cells—cells capable of transforming into various tissues—are being tested with promising results, among others, in individuals after strokes, those suffering from eye diseases, and chronic back pain. None of these therapies have yet been validated for efficacy or approved for use in hospitals. However, they ignite hopes that more and more private clinics are exploiting by offering paid stem cell procedures.
– A large portion of these clinics exploits loopholes in the law and promises patients things that are scientifically impossible. They supposedly can treat Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, or autism with stem cells – says Prof. Sean Morrison from UT Southwestern Medical Center, former president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. He warns that utilizing such treatments may not only result in financial loss but could even cost lives. Just a few years ago, such facilities primarily operated in China and former USSR republics. Today, this issue also affects Western Europe, the USA, and Australia.

FALSE IMPROVEMENT, REAL DEATH

When research on stem cells began, it was thought they existed only in the early stages of organism development—in the embryonic phase. However, they have since been found in umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, and even adipose tissue. Stem cells are now fundamental to the procedure commonly known as bone marrow transplantation. They are also successfully used in treating a severe complication following this procedure—so-called GvHD, or graft-versus-host disease—and in orthopedics for restoring damaged articular cartilage.
Scientists hoped that stem cells are "smart" enough to reach the site of damage, such as the spinal cord or brain, settle there, and transform in such a way as to repair the damaged structure. However, administering such cells to a patient can be risky.
Sheila Drysdale, suffering from Alzheimer's, died during the extraction of adipose tissue needed for a supposedly therapeutic procedure. A similar fate befell an American who had stem cells implanted in China to help combat Parkinson's disease. Other patients developed tumors and experienced a deterioration in health.
Improvement after such treatments, if it occurs, can also be illusory. Justyna Kurowska, known from the reality show "Kawaler do wzięcia," suffers from incurable spinocerebellar ataxia. The disease gradually destroys the nervous system, leading to disability and death. Justyna underwent two procedures at a Chinese clinic. – The doctors inserted needles with cells into my spine. The pain was terrible. I had to lie still for many hours – she tells "Focus." Additionally, they also performed acupuncture, LED light therapy, and incense smoking on her.
Although she felt better immediately after each trip, doctors remain skeptical. – Such therapy can help only through biostimulation, similar to acupuncture – says Dr. Maria Rakowicz-Raczyńska from the Clinical Neurophysiology Department of the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw.
Moreover, the products administered in Chinese, Russian, or Ukrainian clinics do not undergo strict safety testing. In China, there have been cases where patients were injected with a suspension of stem cells obtained from human fetuses.

REDUCING INFLAMMATION

It is safer to participate in research conducted in Poland. In Lublin, stem cells are administered to young patients with cerebral palsy and autism. This is an experimental therapy, reserved for the most severe cases and always requiring the approval of an ethics committee.
Dr. Magdalena Chrościńska-Krawczyk, who leads the research, believes that stem cells act indirectly in this case. They do not patch up damages but secrete substances that promote neuron regeneration and restore biochemical balance.
A similar situation occurred with patients after stroke. In May, doctors from Duke University announced that ten patients experienced a marked improvement after intravenous administration of stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood. They could not penetrate the damaged brain, but they were able to mitigate the effects of the stroke.
– In such patients, an inflammatory state occurs in the damaged nervous tissue, which further deepens the destruction. Stem cells secrete substances that counteract this – says the lead researcher, Prof. Joanne Kurtzberg. She adds that the group of patients—similar to studies on spinal cord damage—was small, and the lack of a control group, which receives placebo instead of real therapy, makes it difficult to assess the treatment's effectiveness.
The same reservations apply to the results of experimental therapy for four patients with multiple sclerosis. The Polish company Luna Laboratory administered stem cells that were previously harvested from their own bone marrow and carefully selected.
– In all patients, a reduction in so-called plaques (confirmed by MRI studies) and an improvement in motor function of 2.5 points on the EDSS scale was observed. According to clinical trial procedures, patients did not take any medications for six months before and after the administration of therapy, excluding the influence of other factors on the improvement of their health – says Anna Mossakowska-Ziemniak from Luna Laboratory.

LAST CHANCE FOR BIG MONEY

If these reports are confirmed, cell therapies will primarily find application in diseases where reducing inflammation is crucial. This may have been the case for the famous American golf champion Jack Nicklaus, who suffered from such severe back pain that he could not stand unassisted for longer than a few minutes. Standard therapies did not help, so the retired athlete underwent stem cell implantation at a private clinic in Germany. – Today I am playing golf again, and I can stand as long as I want – he says.
For patients for whom conventional treatment methods cannot help, such procedures are often a last resort. However, the cost of experimental therapy is often passed on to them. In Poland, administering stem cells often costs several tens of thousands of zlotys, while going abroad for treatment costs several times more.
– Our therapy requires individual drug preparation and very expensive antibodies. We are planning further research and considering various forms of funding, including fees paid by patients – explains Anna Mossakowska-Ziemniak.
Families of severely ill individuals seek help from foundations and organize public fundraising. – It would be better if patients invested this money in reliable therapy or rehabilitation in Poland – says Prof. Wiesław Wiktor Jędrzejczak, national consultant in hematology. – But I also understand the desperation of those for whom our medicine has nothing more to offer. We must develop a system for effectively supporting such individuals. Unfortunately, such solutions are still lacking, as are reliable information about stem cells on the internet.

Article author: Jan Stradowski – head of the science department at "Focus," a trained physician, a passionate biologist and naturalist. He hosts the show "Człowiek 2.0" on radio TOK FM. Collaborators: Małgorzata T. Załoga, Andrzej Kus.

27.04.2018
Article from the portal generacjasmart.pl titled "Paralyzed Monkeys Can Walk Again Thanks to a Special Brain Implant. A Hope for People with Spinal Cord Injuries."

Using a system of electrodes, transmitters, and receivers, scientists were able to restore leg function in monkeys, completely bypassing damaged nerves. Although it may take more than a decade before implants help humans, there is hope for hundreds of thousands of people with spinal cord injuries. Clinical trials have already begun.

Electrodes implanted in the brain and spinal cord assist paralyzed monkeys in walking. The neurologists behind the study reported that the implants restore the leg function of primates almost instantly. The findings are detailed in the journal "Nature."

Electrodes Placed in Key Parts of the Body

The spinal cord of the tested monkey was partially severed, so the legs could not communicate with the brain. To improve communication between the brain and spinal cord, electrodes were placed in key areas of the monkey's body. Implants were placed in the monkey's brain in the area controlling leg movement, along with a wireless transmitter located outside the skull. Electrodes were also placed along the spinal cord, below the site of the injury.

A computer program decoded brain signals indicating leg movement and transmitted signals to the electrodes in the spinal cord. Within just a few seconds, the monkey began to move its legs. After a few days, it was walking on a treadmill. There was no need for physical therapy or training.

Clinical Trials Involving Eight People

This experiment is a significant breakthrough— for the first time, implants are helping primates to walk. Many studies have been conducted aimed at developing treatments for paralyzed patients, but most have been carried out on rodents.

The results were surprisingly positive, but scientists claim it will take at least a decade to fine-tune the technology for humans. Fortunately, our bodies are very similar to those of monkeys, and scientists believe the adjustment could be quick. The first clinical trials involving eight individuals with partial lower limb paralysis are already underway in Switzerland.

This technology could change the lives of many people worldwide. In the United States alone, there are approximately 282,000 individuals with spinal cord injuries.

7.04.2018
Article titled "A Genetic Switch That Stimulates Nerve Tissue to Regenerate Has Been Discovered"

Researchers have discovered a genetic "switch" that can stimulate nerve cells' ability to heal themselves from various neurological diseases, such as strokes, concussions, and spinal cord injuries. In a study conducted at the O'Donnell Brain Institute at UT Southwestern, activating a gene within cells called astrocytes resulted in smaller scars, potentially indicating more effective regeneration after an injury.

Regeneration of Mice with Spinal Cord Injuries

The team focused on the LZK gene in astrocytes, which are star-shaped glial cells. The function of astrocytes in a healthy central nervous system is well-known, but their role in response to injury is less understood. The human body responds to spinal cord damage by forming scar tissue, which effectively seals the wound, preventing the formation of new healthy tissue. The study showed that stimulating the LZK gene in astrocytes could trigger a regenerative response known as astrogliosis, in which these cells proliferate around damaged neurons.

"Until now, it has been a great mystery whether increasing astrocyte reactivity is beneficial. The discovery of LZK as a switch now offers a tool to answer this question. We knew that astrocytes could assist the spinal cord in recovering from injuries, but we do not fully understand the triggering factor that activates these cells," said Mark Goldberg, a neurologist and neurotherapist at UT Southwestern. "Now we will be able to investigate whether activating this process can help in treatment."

Working with mice with spinal cord injuries, the research team found that turning off the LZK gene reduced astrogliosis, leading to larger scars. Conversely, overexpressing this gene enhanced astrogliosis, resulting in smaller scars. Mice that initially had no injuries also showed an activated astrocyte response, confirming that the LZK gene triggers astrogliosis.

Hope for People with Strokes and Concussions

While the research focused on spinal cord injury, Goldberg believes this discovery could also impact other types of damage, including strokes and concussions. Further studies are needed to analyze whether smaller scars indeed facilitate regeneration and how this process affects neurons' ability to rebuild connections. Scientists aim to measure how the formation of smaller scars aids in recovery. They also plan to further investigate the impact of astrogliosis on strokes and spinal cord injuries and determine whether the presence of LZK in mice prior to injury affects the degree of damage.

"In this experiment, spinal cord injuries were studied, but it is likely that this could also influence the treatment of many other conditions through gene therapy targeted at astrocytes," said Dr. Mark Goldberg, chair of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics at UT Southwestern.

30.03.2017
Article by Ewa Nieckuła from Focus magazine titled "Stand Up and Walk". Scientists around the world are trying to restore mobility to the paralyzed. There have already been some successes—in the USA, Switzerland, and Poland.

The full version of the article with photos and sketches is available in the April issue of "Focus" magazine, among others on Publio.pl /price: 6.45 PLN/

In 2012, Dr. Paweł Tabakow from the Neurosurgery Clinic of the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław restored the ability to walk for Dariusz Fidyka. Two years earlier, Fidyka was attacked and repeatedly stabbed. One of the stabs damaged the spinal cord in the thoracic region. Fidyka lost sensation from the waist down, including touch, temperature, and pain; he had disturbances in deep sensation. He could only move in a wheelchair. Four years after the operation, his sensation began to return, and he was riding a tricycle, walking several meters on a treadmill with orthoses, or using a walker.
This year, Dr. Tabakow plans to perform a similar operation. The clinic is recruiting patients with a severed spinal cord. "We received about 450 applications from around the world. We have preliminarily selected four of the most optimal patients who could undergo the operation. Experts will choose only one from them," says Dr. Tabakow in an interview with "Focus".

OLFACTORY CELLS BETTER THAN STEM CELLS

For a long time, it was believed that the central nervous system in humans cannot regenerate after injury. Today we know that a severed neuron in the spinal cord "wants to regrow," but it cannot. The insurmountable obstacle is the glial scar that forms very quickly at the site of the injury. It cannot be cut away because that would create a new, even larger one. One must either block its formation or somehow help the neurons cross it.
In Wrocław, olfactory glial cells were used for this purpose. They enable the regeneration of nerve fibers responsible for transmitting information from the olfactory organ to the brain. This is a natural process that occurs in every person. Doctors had the idea to move these cells to the site of spinal cord damage. If they retain their properties, they will lead to the regeneration of the fibers in the spinal cord. Additionally, Fidyka was also transplanted with fragments of his own peripheral nerves—they were intended to provide a pathway for the regenerated neurons. "This is still a fairly primitive stage of treatment. We have a long way to go to develop the optimal proportions of this cell mixture. Science needs time to gather experiences," admits Dr. Tabakow.
The case of Darius Fidyka shows, however, that this approach yields results. No one has yet proven that similar regeneration of neurons could be supported by stem cell transplants. "Experiments are still being conducted, sometimes on the edge of the law, using stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood or adipose tissue. After multiplication, they are injected, for example, into the cerebrospinal fluid. According to those conducting these procedures, stem cells are so "smart" that they can reach the site of spinal cord injury, settle there, and transform in such a way as to repair the damaged structure. I know of cases of commercial procedures—cells are taken in the morning, multiplied, and injected in the evening. I am definitely against such attempts; their therapeutic effects are very questionable," says Dr. Bogdan Czapiga, head of the neurosurgery department at the Military Hospital in Wrocław and an expert on spinal cord injuries.

ELECTRICAL STIMULATION PROMOTES REGENERATION

Another method for regenerating damaged spinal cords is electrical stimulation. This involves mimicking signals that flow from the brain to muscles in a healthy person. First, doctors implant a stimulator under the patient's skin and electrodes that reach the meninges surrounding the spinal cord below the injury (this is called epidural stimulation). When the stimulator sends an impulse, the patient tries to perform a task.
The first patient to undergo this therapy was Rob Summers—a young athlete who was in a car accident. Within three weeks of implanting the stimulator, thanks to the work of a rehabilitation team from the University of Louisville, he was able to stand. After five months, his ability to control the sphincters increased. After eight months, the patient could independently move his toes and feet and bend his leg at the knee.
The therapy proved equally effective for three other patients with paralysis of the lower limbs. The results obtained in their case show that the brain somehow regained its connection with the spinal cord below the injury site. How? Scientists are not yet sure. They suspect that electrical stimulation restored functionality to those nerve connections that were not damaged during the accident. Another possibility is that stimulation combined with rehabilitation allowed the creation of new nerve connections.
Implanting electrodes into the spine is not only complicated and risky, but also expensive. However, another method has emerged. Prof. Reggie Edgerton, a physiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, partially restored mobility to five men paralyzed from the waist down by using an external stimulator with electrodes attached to the skin. This therapy is ten times cheaper than epidural stimulation.

ELECTRONICS INSTEAD OF NERVES?

A different approach is used by scientists who are trying to replace the damaged section of the spinal cord with technology. The nervous system transmits electrical impulses, similar to electronics. "Technical thinking works here. The experiments are quite successful, but the path to widespread application is still long," assesses Dr. Czapiga.
A team of Swiss scientists from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, led by Prof. Grégoire Courtine, is working on such a solution—a so-called brain-spinal interface. They recently confirmed the effectiveness of this method during experiments on partially paralyzed macaques. An implant was inserted into the monkeys' cerebral cortex, and electrodes were placed in the spinal cord below the injury site. Data from the brain is sent to a computer that analyzes it and then sends impulses to the electrodes. When a monkey wants to move a limb, the electronic system sets it in motion. As a result, the rhesus monkeys began walking on a treadmill—one after six days, the other after less than two weeks post-surgery. They were able to maintain direction and pace of movement. The Swiss have announced that the solution intended for humans may be ready within 10 years.
"The idea is good, cool tools, well-designed experiment, but it is an unreliable model because, in essence, the researchers did not disconnect the brain from the limbs," comments Dr. Tabakow. The scientists only partially damaged the monkeys' spinal cords—thus the monkeys had no control over the muscles in one hind leg and no sensation in the other. This means they had support during walking attempts, and their brains were receiving some data about the executed movement. "The Swiss wanted to show that it doesn't make sense to reconstruct a damaged spinal cord during a long surgery and then rehabilitate the patient for many years when it is possible to stimulate the affected muscles successfully in a much shorter time. I think they were afraid of failure. Huge resources were invested in this study, and it had to turn out well. And in reality, these monkeys experienced a repair process—their condition improved thanks to the plasticity of the spinal cord," adds Dr. Tabakow.

THERE IS NO SHORTCUT

After an injury, the spinal cord "forgets" how to perform its functions. It must learn them anew, reinforcing new reflexes. Rehabilitation is essential for this, as it also allows regaining the finesse of movements and the sense of having limbs. Theoretically, for a patient to start walking again, it is enough to regenerate just 5% of the connections in the spinal cord. However, they will not function immediately—well-conducted exercises are necessary for that.
"Spinal cord injuries are very complex, so there will not be a single therapy that can be applied to every patient. We need many different solutions," says Peter Wilderotter, president of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which finances research in this field. The question is whether healthcare services will be able to afford such therapies. Implants and stimulators are not cheap. "According to my estimates, it will cost about 500,000 PLN per patient. These devices will break down, and they will need to be replaced from time to time," emphasizes Dr. Tabakow. Therefore, we can only hope that Polish therapies based on glial cells will be cheaper and more accessible.

WARNING ABOUT SCAMMERS

Some attempts to treat paralysis are simply unethical. There are Chinese clinics where patients with paralysis were injected with a suspension of stem cells taken from human fetuses. "No one evaluates these attempts positively except for their authors. And only the authors of this extreme therapy reported its high effectiveness. This is not, of course, a reliable source of information," warns Dr. Czapiga.

16.02.2017
Article titled "The Patient Will Stand on His Own" – a rehabilitation center for individuals with spinal cord injuries has been opened

The first rehabilitation center for people with spinal cord injuries in Poland was opened on Friday, February 10, in Kamień Pomorski, West Pomerania. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including exoskeleton robots and a lokomat.

The Research Institute for Innovative Rehabilitation Methods for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries is a joint project of the Kamień Pomorski Health Resort and the Rehabilitation Clinic of the Medical University of Warsaw's Faculty of Medicine. The new facility has 40 places for patients who have sustained spinal cord injuries due to various reasons, including traffic accidents or strokes.

Rehabilitation and Scientific Research

- We will primarily rehabilitate patients with incomplete spinal injuries and individuals with significant weakness who still have sensation, - said neurologist Dr. Beata Tarnacka, head of the Rehabilitation Clinic at the Medical University of Warsaw. - We know that if there is sensation, it means that the circuits in the spinal cord are still functioning. If we tailor an individual and fairly intensive therapy, based in part on robots, it could lead to the patient standing on his own, - she assured.

The doctor added that patients who have recently suffered spinal cord injuries will be diagnosed and treated at the facility.

- The situation for patients after injuries in Poland is very poor, as they are only guaranteed 16 weeks of rehabilitation. This group also does not have its own association, - she noted.

As Dr. Tarnacka explained, scientific research will also be conducted at the Kamień facility to determine how long rehabilitation should last and what effects can be expected from it. Medical research will last for the next four years.

Financial Support

Tadeusz Widuch, a member of the board of the Kamień Pomorski Health Resort, said in an interview that at the center, in addition to classic rehabilitation and robotic assistance, patients will also be cared for by doctors of other specialties, including psychologists, dietitians, urologists, and sexologists.

- The robots we use during rehabilitation can stabilize a person, so that after six weeks, they can be stood up and their walking functions restored, - he explained. - At that point, no neuroplastic changes or changes in the brain occur. The effectiveness of such rehabilitation for a young person, freshly after an accident, is incomparably higher than starting it one or two years after the injury.

Widuch emphasized that currently, high-specialty rehabilitation at the institute in Kamień Pomorski using robots is not reimbursed by the National Health Fund.

- Work is underway to ensure that the services provided are co-financed with public funds, - he said. - Patients with spinal cord injuries can expect financial support from the Cooperative Banking Development Foundation, which belongs to Bank BPS.

Equipment at the Facility

The center features a special track for gait training, where exercises are conducted using an exoskeleton. This is a mobile, external skeleton powered by batteries, allowing the patient to rise from a wheelchair and walk naturally.

The facility also has a lokomat, a device in which the patient is secured above a treadmill in special orthoses and harnesses while in a vertical position. The machine sets the paralyzed limbs in motion, and the patient simultaneously exercises with an individually tailored load.

The construction of the Research Institute for Innovative Rehabilitation Methods for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries took 12 months and cost 2.3 million PLN. The building occupies an area of approximately 1,000 m². The purchase of specialized equipment and diagnostic and rehabilitation devices exceeded 5 million PLN. The institute was built from the owner support funds of Bank BPS S.A. and BPS TFI S.A., as well as with funding from European Union funds, in collaboration with the National Center for Research and Development.

According to the management, the facility has no equal in the world.

22.09.2016
Article titled "The Paralyzed Man Regained Control of His Hands"

Stem cells, once presented a few years ago as a theoretical solution to the problem of paralysis, are slowly transitioning to the realm of practical solutions. American neurologists have recently succeeded in restoring movement in the hands of a paralyzed 21-year-old using these cells.

Kris Boesen, who after a spinal cord injury from a car accident was unable to feed himself, three months after an experimental procedure performed at the University of Southern California, not only can eat but also writes and moves independently in a wheelchair - for him, this feels like escaping from the prison of his own body, as he previously felt nothing from the neck down and had no control over his body below that line.

During the surgery, approximately 10 million AST-OPC1 cells developed by Asterias Biotherapeutics were injected directly into the cervical spinal cord, which began to transform into oligodendrocyte progenitor cells on-site. Already two weeks after the procedure, a clear improvement was observed - Boesen regained some sensation, but further effects took another two and a half months to manifest.

22.03.2016
Article titled "Paralyzed Will Rise Thanks to a Cyber-Implant."

Swiss scientists from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have made a significant breakthrough—they have created an implant called e-Dura, which, when implanted in paralyzed patients, is expected to restore their mobility within just a few weeks.

So far, the device has been tested on rats and has proven to be 100% effective; electrical stimulation and medications delivered through the implant to the spinal cord led to paralyzed animals being able to stand on their own after just a few weeks. Clinical trials on humans are currently planned.

The implant mimics the function of the dura mater surrounding the spinal cord—thus, the body ignores it, and it is soft, allowing for free movement. According to the creators, it can last up to 10 years in the body before it needs to be replaced.

This is another glimmer of hope for all those who have lost control of their bodies due to spinal cord injury—last year, Polish scientists achieved a similar feat, and that was already on a human, using olfactory glial cells. Therefore, if a biological method does not yield results for a given patient, it does not mean a loss of hope—electronics can always provide support.

9.03.2016
An interview on TVP Wrocław with Dr. Paweł Tabakow - head of an interdisciplinary team of doctors and scientists from Poland and the UK, and a report titled "Dariusz Fidyka Rides a Bike. There's Hope for Other Patients."

Click here to watch the video material.

This is the moment that patients from around the world have been waiting for! Today, scientists from Wrocław began the search for individuals with spinal cord injuries who will undergo experimental therapy. This is hope for over 3 million paralyzed people worldwide. Spinal injuries—previously considered incurable—may soon be operated on. The international project Wrocław Walk Again has been launched.

– The impossible has become possible; this is a miracle of medicine – such words describe the spinal cord regeneration program for paralyzed patients. But this is not a miracle—it is the result of years of work by an international team of specialists and Dariusz Fidyka.

In 2012, Wrocław neurosurgeons performed an experimental operation on a global scale. They first harvested olfactory glial cells, which have extraordinary regenerative abilities, from the olfactory bulb of the brain, multiplied them in the lab, and after two weeks, implanted them in the area of the severed spinal cord. Prior to that, a bridge was created from a fragment of the patient's peripheral nerve. It took half a year to see the first signs of improvement. It was not easy.

Two years ago, the world was shown a patient with a severed spinal cord who could walk after the innovative operation. Today there's another revelation: the same patient rides a tricycle. This gives hope to other paralyzed individuals around the globe.

The patient must also be motivated to engage in hard and prolonged work. Strength of character and patience are essential. Dariusz Fidyka spends six to eight hours a day in the exercise room, under the watchful eye of physiotherapists. It is hard, tedious, and monotonous work. In the Wrocław neurochirurgical clinic Akson, Mr. Dariusz and his mother have been living for four years. Doctors speak of Dariusz Fidyka directly: "He is our hero!"

This is a huge success for Wrocław and British scientists, who have gathered the best experts in the world and significant funding for the program. Each of the two patients is guaranteed £250,000 for the entire therapy and at least three years of rehabilitation. This is the first and only project of its kind in the world.

29.09.2014
Article from the September issue of the magazine Świat i Ludzie titled "Severed Spinal Cord Like New."

Will the paralyzed walk again?

There is hope that individuals paralyzed due to a severed spinal cord will regain control of their limbs. This hope comes from the research and experiments conducted by scientists at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne under the guidance of Gregoire Courtine.

Little rat, move your legs! The scientist discovered that the spinal cord of a rat (without connection to the brain) can control mechanical, or involuntary, movement of the lower limbs of the rodent. However, it must be appropriately stimulated. After stimulation procedures, paralyzed rats were able to take steps again.

The movement was controlled by the spinal cord. Unfortunately, the animals could only walk when their leg movements were forced by a moving treadmill. They still couldn't move on solid ground by themselves. However, they were moving their paws, which surprised the scientists greatly. This gave hope that only a little support from the brain, a weak impulse flowing through even imperfect connections, could enable the rodents to start walking on their own. It is just necessary to awaken the spinal cord so that it starts responding to commands from the brain again.

Little rat, put on your harness! To make this happen, the scientists injected substances that mimicked neurotransmitters—dopamine, adrenaline, and serotonin—around the damaged spinal cord in the rats, through which nerve cells communicate with each other. The cocktail stimulated the nerves—they were ready to control the movements of the lower body.

After 5-10 minutes, low-intensity current (from electrodes implanted in the outer part of the spinal cord) stimulated the prepared neurotransmitter nerves. The impulses mimicked commands from the brain.

Next, a rat dressed in a special harness and vest was suspended vertically. It touched the ground only with its paws and tail. This encouraged the rodents to attempt to walk independently on solid ground, for example, to reach a treat. After several days, the rats took their first steps, and after a few weeks, they were running up stairs and overcoming low obstacles.

It turned out that the number of nerve fibers going from the brain to the spinal cord in the animals quadrupled. Neurons regenerated at the site of the injury.

Will this succeed for humans? This is still uncertain. However, it should be remembered that the human nervous system has great potential. As recently as the 1980s, it was believed that humans have a certain number of nerve cells, which could decrease but certainly not increase, because the human nervous system could not regenerate.

However, research has proven that even in the brain of an adult, new nerve cells can still form, replacing old or damaged ones. This phenomenon is called brain plasticity. Therefore, such a remarkable effect in the case of rats gives hope that individuals with spinal cord injuries will soon witness a revolution in treatment.

Research involving humans is set to begin this year in Zurich. The "NeuWalk" project has also started. It aims to create a special system similar to the rat harness, but for humans.

April 11, 2014
Article from the website cyfrowaintegracja.org titled "They Moved Their Legs for the First Time After Spinal Injury"

Four paralyzed men have managed to move their legs for the first time in years, thanks to electrical stimulation of the spinal cord. The research was conducted at the University of Louisville in the state of Kentucky, USA.

The men were able to move their toes, bend their legs at the ankle and knee joints.

According to a report published in the journal "Brain," electrical stimulation makes the spinal cord more sensitive to the small signals that still reach it from the brain. Experts believe this discovery could be a breakthrough in the treatment of spinal injuries.

The spinal cord acts like a high-speed railway line, carrying electrical impulses from the brain to the rest of the body. When the track is damaged, the message does not get through.

Electric Injection

Pioneering research on electrical stimulation of the spinal cord was conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Louisville and California.

Three years ago, scientists reported that Rob Summers, a former baseball player who was paralyzed from the chest down due to a car accident, was able to move his legs thanks to electrical stimulation of the spinal cord.

Recently, three more patients, paralyzed for at least two years, underwent a similar procedure. By participating in the experiment, they regained some mobility. All of them were able to move specific parts of their limbs, and three participants could control the intensity of their movements. This proves that it is possible to restore motor functions after paralysis.

One of the researchers, Dr. Claudia Angeli from the University of Louisville, told the BBC that "the ability to move their legs has improved the patients' mental well-being; some even say they feel like they have started to live anew."

The ability to move their legs also affects the overall improvement in the patients' health. - They have seen an increase in muscle mass and bowel and bladder function - she stated.

Scientists are not sure exactly how electrical stimulation influences the ability to move the limbs. They assume that despite the injury, some electrical signals from the brain still flow through the damaged spinal cord, but they are not strong enough to cause limb movement.

Huge Progress

Electrical stimulation makes the lower parts of the spinal cord more excited and able to respond to signals coming from the brain.

Half of the patients who participated in the study have some sensation in their legs, while the other half have lost it completely. As Dr. Mark Bacon, head of spinal research, noted in an interview with the BBC, "the fact that motor functions can be regained in patients with partial paralysis is remarkable, but regaining them in people who have no sensation at all is truly astonishing."

In his opinion, this means that patients have retained some nerve connections in the damaged spinal cord. This suggests that in the future, it may be possible to achieve basic connectivity between the brain and limbs, significantly improving the quality of life for patients.

Although there is no evidence that what has been achieved with four patients can be applied to a larger number of individuals with paralysis, the results presented offer great hope for the application of new discoveries in therapy and further advances in restoring motor functions to those with spinal cord injuries.

January 15, 2014
Article from the website rmf24.pl titled "Olfactory Cells Repair the Spinal Cord? ›› Things are Good, the Results are Excellent ‹‹ "

The severed spinal cord can be repaired! Soon, the medical world will learn details of a groundbreaking method developed by doctors in Wrocław. "There is already clinical evidence that this method works. The results are excellent," admits Professor Marek Ziętek, rector of the Medical University of Wrocław, in an interview with RMF FM journalist Barbara Zielińska.

Barbara Zielińska: The scientists' report will be ready shortly. Right? Professor Marek Ziętek: It is in preparation. Part has already been sent for publication to scientific journals, and part is being prepared.

What will happen in the medical community when this report is published?

The method will be evaluated some time after the procedures are performed. When it is a groundbreaking method, with stem cells implanted in the spinal cord and the spinal cord being rebuilt - at the moment of implantation, we can only speculate: will it succeed or not? Some time must pass to determine whether we have a positive treatment outcome or not. Currently, we have a positive treatment outcome. However, as is often the case, the authors want to announce the details only when the publication comes out. It has happened many times in Polish reality that suddenly results appeared under someone else's name, under the affiliation of another scientific center because someone at the last minute did something... and the actual author was someone else.

That's a bit sad, professor.

Sad. It is unfortunate, but it happens. And I think this is a very far-reaching caution on the part of the authors, which also reflects their serious approach to the subject. If the work has been sent to high-impact journals, it will undergo peer review. And reviewers may point out that this method carries certain risks. This is also very important. Therefore - as is popularly said - they kept quiet because they want to have 100 percent certainty of success, which they have clinically. However, they want it in writing, i.e., in a published journal, as evidence of their work.

Simply put, what does this method involve?

In the case of spinal cord injury (but not in all types of spinal cord injuries), stem cells are implanted, which are obtained from the olfactory membrane. This method is patented, authored by Włodzimierz Jarmundowicz and Paweł Tabakow. It was published a few years ago. These cells themselves transform and build the spinal cord. There is already clinical evidence that this method works. This means that when we have an empty space in the spinal cord, it is filled with nerve cells. Therefore, if this method gains acceptance worldwide, it will indeed be a milestone in spinal cord regeneration.

You say that there is already positive evidence that it works. How many patients have you helped? Can we say?

I cannot say that because it is protected information of the authors.

But it's good?

It's good, the results are excellent. Therefore, we hold huge hopes for this method - as a university, and primarily as neurosurgery.

You are giving hope to thousands of people in Poland and around the world who are paralyzed from various accidents, waiting for you to perhaps help them.

But as I said, this will not be possible in all cases of spinal cord severance. However, publications will describe the cases that we have worked on: in which cases of spinal cord injury stem cells were implanted and which cases will definitely be able to be saved.

Such information gives hope to those waiting for help. Can they contact the university, ask if you will be able to help them? Is there a consultation unit?

I believe that the Department of Neurosurgery at the Medical University of Wrocław is ready to receive documentation to assess whether a given patient qualifies for the procedure or not. Such procedures will definitely be carried out with us.

Professor, the report is coming soon, when will the method start? When will we be able to say that success has been achieved in Wrocław?

It depends solely on the publication. At the moment the publication is anticipated, we will present all information regarding this method and the clinical outcomes at a press conference.

December 21, 2013
Article titled "Olfactory Cells Will Repair the Spinal Cord" describing the progress of Wrocław doctors in the regeneration of damaged spinal cords.

There are extraordinary cells in our nose and brain. They can repair a severed spinal cord. The first paralyzed patients are now being treated with the latest experimental method.

It was supposed to be an ordinary day. Beata Jałocha, one of the best physiotherapists and trainers in Poland, was walking to her patient on Saturday, May 18. Suddenly, a suicide victim fell on her from the seventh floor of a building on Grójecka Street in Warsaw. The man died on the spot and seriously injured Beata. She had broken ribs and legs and struggled to breathe. But that was not the worst part. At the hospital, it turned out that she had a crushed spine and a severed spinal cord just above her belly button. And she could not move.

What an irony of fate! She, who helped patients get back on their feet after severe accidents and strokes, now needed that very help herself. However, she believes she will regain her mobility. Already dressed in a spinal stabilization corset, she started simple rehabilitation exercises. If only her loved ones can raise the funds, she will begin rehabilitation at a specialized clinic in Berlin. She also hopes that in the future she will undergo surgery that will reconnect her severed spinal cord, allowing her to regain mobility.

These are not delusional dreams. For several years now, specialists from Australia, Spain, and also from the Neurochirurgery Clinic at the Medical University of Wrocław have been implanting extraordinary cells into paralyzed individuals – olfactory glial cells. They are harvested from the nose or, more recently, from the brain. These cells are intended to repair the severed cord so that nerve impulses sent from the brain can reach the legs. Scientists say the initial results are promising. However, they caution that this is just the beginning of work on the new therapy. Experimental procedures have been performed. Paralyzed patients must be patient.

Patience will also be necessary because even if they undergo this innovative surgery, they will have to wait a long time for the treatment results. "It's not like a face transplant, where the effects can be seen within days. For our patients, improvement may happen very, very slowly. Only after a year can slight changes be noticed," says Dr. Paweł Tabakow from the Neurochirurgery Clinic at the Medical University of Wrocław, who is the coordinator of the research.

Invaluable Sense of Smell

The idea of repairing damaged spinal cords with olfactory cells was suggested to doctors by Professor Geoffrey Raisman from the Institute of Neurology, University College London. In the 1980s, he conducted research on glial cells, which fill the spaces between nerve cells, protect them, and assist in their nourishment. They exist both in the brain and in the nerves and spinal cord. Professor Raisman discovered that one type of these cells – olfactory glial cells, present in the mucous membrane of the human nose – has tremendous regenerative capabilities. They are responsible for repairing the olfactory epithelium, which can be destroyed due to severe colds, burns in the upper respiratory tract, or inhaling toxic substances. Thanks to the extraordinary ability of these cells, we do not have to fear losing our sense of smell for life. After some time, whether days or weeks, they will make us feel odors again.

Scientists believe that the sense of smell has played a significant role in the survival of the Homo sapiens species (as well as other mammals) and therefore undergoes regeneration. This sense is unique – neither retinal cells, which cause us to lose sight, nor the nerve fibers of the spinal cord, which make some people unable to move after certain spinal injuries, have this ability.

But can olfactory cells truly help in regenerating the spinal cord? Research on animals has provided the answer. As early as the late 1990s, scientists from a Spanish center in Valencia showcased a healed rat. First, they severed its spinal cord, rendering the animal unable to move its hind legs. Then, they implanted olfactory cells into the damaged area. It worked. After some time, the spinal cord repaired itself. The nerve cells once again transmitted signals from the brain to the paws. The rat climbed the metal mesh with ease.

Similar animal studies were conducted by Wrocław doctors. They wanted to check whether the method was safe and whether it would lead to the development of tumors in nervous tissue, tissue necrosis, or purulent inflammation. It turned out that none of the animals studied experienced such issues. Therefore, treatment for humans could commence.

Cell Transplantation

So far, Wrocław doctors have performed this procedure on four patients. All of them had completely severed spinal cords. None had shown any improvement despite intensive rehabilitation. In one patient, the distance between the ends of the cord at the injury site was as much as one centimeter. The doctors had no doubt that if the patient regained sensation in his legs or took the first uncertain steps, it would be due to the therapy and not a spontaneous repair of the cord.
The doctors describe the operation in one sentence – transplanting the patient's olfactory glial cells into the damaged spinal cord. In reality, it is a complicated procedure. So complex that the specialized team of doctors and nurses took nearly 11 hours for the operation. First, the doctors had to expose the spinal cord, and only then could they inject the cultured olfactory cells into the cord. They performed 20-40 punctures of the spinal cord and 120 individual microinjections. The cells were implanted above and below the injury site.

However, before the patients made it to the operating table, doctors harvested a tissue sample, and specialists from the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy in Wrocław, under the guidance of Professor Andrzej Górski, isolated glial cells and began to multiply them. For the first three patients, cells were collected from inside the nose. In the fourth, they had to slightly change the procedure. They could not harvest glial cells from the nose because the patient had chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. There was a risk that the glial cells were not fully functional. They were therefore harvested from the olfactory bulb located in the brain. This was the first procedure of its kind in the world.

"The bulb contains more glial cells and they have greater regenerative potential than glial cells from the nasal cavity," says Professor Włodzimierz Jarmundowicz, head of the Neurochirurgery Clinic at the Medical University of Wrocław. "However, we were aware that harvesting them involved greater risk. We had to open the skull and retrieve a healthy olfactory bulb from there. We had to convince the world that this was not the act of mad scientists," says Dr. Tabakow. They obtained special approval from the ethics committee to carry out such a procedure. However, the patient was not only implanted with glial cells but also fragments of peripheral nerves.

No Rehabilitation, No Progress

Today it seems that this patient will benefit the most from the procedure. However, the doctors do not want to comment on the effects of the therapy. "It is still too early for conclusions," they say. For now, they are closely monitoring and examining the patient. They are keeping detailed documentation. They want to objectively assess the progress of the treatment. They do not want to rely solely on the patient's feelings. However, they admit that the man already feels cold and touch in some areas of his legs. He knows when to empty his bladder. "We have also observed a significant increase in muscle mass in the affected limbs," lists Dr. Tabakow. The patient has achieved improvement that even the best rehabilitation cannot provide.

He is now undergoing intensive rehabilitation. "Without it, there is no talk of regaining mobility," adds Dr. Tabakow. There are already huge problems with that. The state only funds a few weeks of rehabilitation. Meanwhile, patients should exercise in specialized centers five days a week for three hours a day for many years. "It costs 6,000-7,000 PLN per month, which the patient must pull out of their own pocket. Who can afford that, especially since such rehabilitation should be provided for a long time, possibly for the rest of their life?" says Dr. Tabakow.

Their patient exercises daily under the supervision of specialists. "So far, the results are promising," says Professor Włodzimierz Jarmundowicz. However, he emphasizes that this is an experimental method: "So far, no one has achieved such improvement that a completely paralyzed person can walk independently."

But who knows what the future holds. Especially since Professor Jarmundowicz's team is constantly conducting research. They collaborate with Professor Geoffrey Raisman's team, the same one that discovered the mysterious power of olfactory glial cells thirty years ago. Together, they are trying to improve the therapy. They want to determine, among other things, how to best collect, cultivate, and transplant cells, how to improve the procedure, and whether additional growth factors should be used during therapy. They are also planning to expand the team. "The goal is to reach even more severely injured patients. If the initial results are successful, it will be a new milestone in treating paralysis," says Dr. Tabakow.

And after years of searching, the first tests on animals are underway. One of the patients is also intended for a more extensive experiment. "After six months, we will check whether the results are statistically significant. If they are, we will invite a larger group of patients for treatment," Dr. Tabakow summarizes.

Although the experiments are still ongoing, doctors do not hide their excitement: "Today we can say with certainty that we are working on something that will change the world of medicine," they assure. "Because this will not only be a breakthrough in treating paralyzed people but also in treating neurodegenerative diseases. So we could finally put an end to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or multiple sclerosis." And they are optimistic.

Olfactory Glial Cells
1. Are harvested from the nasal cavity or the brain (olfactory bulb).
2. Help repair the damaged spinal cord.
3. Have the ability to regenerate and restore the sense of smell.

November 6, 2012
Article titled "Hope for the Paralyzed" from the English newspaper "The Times".

An American experiment has shown that a damaged spinal cord, properly stimulated, has incredible regenerative abilities. This means entirely new prospects for wheelchair users—even those struggling with disabilities for many years.

An American paralyzed from the chest down regained the ability to stand and move his legs without external assistance when, thanks to electrical stimulation, his damaged spinal cord was "retrained" to transmit signals. Andreas Meas (33) from Louiseville, Kentucky, could stand on his own almost immediately after the electrodes implanted in the lower half of his spinal cord were turned on. However, scientists were astonished by something else: that a certain ability to move remained even when the implants were turned off. These effects are revolutionary as they indicate that the spinal cord is potentially capable of regeneration even years after injury.

After three months of the research project, Meas tried to move various parts of his body when the implants were turned off and discovered he could move his toe. He also developed further ability to move his leg. "I feel a muscle contraction in the sole of my left foot, and I am working hard to strengthen it," he said in an interview with "New Scientist". "I can move my foot and lift my knees. When it happened for the first time, we were all incredibly excited. It was an amazing feeling—the most normal I've felt since the accident," the man exclaimed with joy.

It is believed that the stimulus sent by the implants strengthened "silent" connections within the damaged spinal cord or even created entirely new ones.

Last week, scientists presented their findings at the conference of the Neurological Society in New Orleans. They reported that all three volunteers regained some ability to consciously move the paralyzed limb, but so far only Meas was able to move it after the device was turned off.

"His spinal cord was retrained, and the circuits reorganized themselves in such a way that they became functional again," explains Reggae Edgerton from the University of California, Los Angeles, who also worked on the project. "Significant reorganization must have occurred not only below the damaged area but also higher up, in the brain."

So far, none of the volunteers can walk without assistance, but Edgerton hopes that with advancing technology, patients' abilities to perform various activities will continue to improve.

May 29, 2012
Article from the weekly magazine "World and People" titled "Hope for Paralyzed Individuals"

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a technology that transmits signals from the brain directly to the muscles. By bypassing the spinal cord, it allows for movement of the paralyzed limb. The researchers implanted tiny electrodes into the muscles of monkeys. As the animals played, the researchers recorded electrical signals in the brain and muscles. In this way, they decoded which signals inform the arm and hand how to move. Scientists installed transmitting and receiving devices called a neuroprosthesis in the brains and muscles of the monkeys. Then, under anesthesia, they induced temporary paralysis in their hands. Thanks to this device, the animals were able to pick up a ball and complete a task with almost the same results as before. If further research succeeds, a new neuroprosthesis will emerge that will change the lives of patients paralyzed due to spinal cord injuries.

May 18, 2012
Article from the website niepełnosprawni.pl titled "Pioneering Surgery: Paralyzed Man Can Move His Arm Again"

A 71-year-old man paralyzed after a car accident has partially regained the use of one arm after a pioneering operation performed by neurosurgeons at Washington University School of Medicine (USA) – reported the journal "Journal of Neurosurgery".

The American was paralyzed from the neck down in 2008 due to spinal cord injury. He could make slight arm movements but could not grasp anything with his hand. Now he can eat independently and even write.

These effects were achieved after the first operation of its kind, aimed at restoring nerve conduction between the brain and the arm. This was possible because the nerves in the arm were not damaged. American neurosurgeons harvested a nerve that transmits impulses to the muscles and implanted it into the spinal cord above the site where it was severed. In this way, a bypass was created around the spinal cord injury, restoring the ability to move the arm.

However, this method only allows for partial recovery of function in the arm, as the transplanted nerve does not provide sufficient nerve impulse conduction. This was acknowledged in a statement to the BBC by Professor Ida Fox from Washington University, who participated in the operation.

She added that the paralyzed man had to undergo rehabilitation to regain partial use of his hand. Eight months after the surgery, he was able to move his thumb, and after another two months, he could move his fingers as well. Further exercises may further improve hand function.

This type of surgery is only possible for certain paralyzed individuals who have sustained a specific type of spinal cord injury, as occurred in the case of the 71-year-old man. If the injury had occurred even slightly higher, restoring partial arm function would not have been possible.

February 2, 2012
Article from the website zdrowie.wieszjak.pl titled "Chance for Regeneration of Spinal Cord Damage"

Scientists have discovered a new class of cells that can be used to rebuild damaged connections in the mature spinal cord – reports "EurekAlert!".

Researchers from the Allen Institute for Brain Science announced the discovery of a new class of cells in the spinal cord. The cells discovered by the scientists are similar to neuronal stem cells. The research team used the Allen Spinal Cord Atlas, a detailed map of the genome and gene expression in the mouse spinal cord, and compared the genes expressed or active in radial glial cells of the mature spinal cord with other neuronal stem cells. From this comparison, the scientists derived a set of 122 genes indicating the similarity of these cells to classic neuronal stem cells.

The nervous system is considered incapable of regeneration because stem cells diminish during development. By identifying the class of radial glial cells similar to stem cells, it may be possible to activate some of their gene sets to prompt these cells to regenerate damaged connections in the mature spinal cord.

In the search for neuronal stem cells, scientists used several known genes to identify potential candidates in the spinal cord. While some neuronal stem cells were indeed found deep within the spinal cord, the newly identified radial glial cells run along the edge of the spinal cord, in an exceptionally convenient location for their activation with minimal secondary damage. The identification of these cells and the genes important for their activation opens up new possibilities for discovering therapies for spinal cord injuries and several types of neurodegenerative diseases.