Learning to walk again

Another electrical implant has dramatically improved a man’s life. Marc Gauthier, who is from France, has Parkinson’s disease, a brain condition that causes parts of the brain to break down. It affects movement and gets worse over time. Gauthier had lived with the disease for nearly 30 years, and his body was no longer responding to other treatments. He had stopped working because he often fell. Doctors attached a new type of implant to several spots on Gauthier’s lower spine. The device applies electrical stimulation to his nerves, which activates them so they can tell his leg muscles to move. The device does not directly control the movement in his legs—Gauthier’s brain still does that. The treatment is not a cure, but Gauthier can now walk for miles.…

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The Week Junior US (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 197

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