Revolutionary Implant Enables Man with Parkinson's to Walk Again

Scientists have developed a special implant that can help people with advanced Parkinson's disease to walk again. Marc Gauthier, a 63-year-old man from Bordeaux, France, who was the first person to test the device, says it has given him a second chance at life. Before the implant, Marc was often housebound and had frequent falls. The implant stimulates nerves in his spine and has stopped the shuffling and freezing that many Parkinson's patients struggle with. When the device is switched on, Marc's gait looks almost normal. The implant sits on the lumbar region of the spinal cord and adds electrical signals to the leg muscles. Marc's brain still gives instructions, but the implant helps to produce a smoother movement. The device has its own power supply and is wired to a small impulse generator implanted under the skin of Marc's abdomen. Marc had to undergo weeks of rehabilitation to program the device using feedback sensors on his legs and shoes. The success of this device in assisting Marc has prompted the researchers to test it in six more Parkinson's patients. While the treatment is not a cure, it has the potential to help restore movement in people with advanced Parkinson's.