News Neuroscience

A brain implant helped a man with paralysis walk more naturally

Restoring a communication link between the brain and spine enables more control over movement

A photo of a man standing up from his wheelchair in front of a pond while a woman holds a laptop behind the wheelchair.

A biking accident left 40-year-old Gert-Jan paralyzed by a spinal cord injury. Here, he and a researcher put a brain-spine interface that has restored some of his ability to walk through its paces.

Gilles Weber/CHUV

By Simon Makin

A system that restores communication between the brain and spine has enabled a man paralyzed by a spinal cord injury to regain near-natural walking ability.