United States: Spinal cord implantation demonstrates the potential to improve muscle function in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients while enhancing both movement strength and walking ability, according to scientific research findings.
More about the news
Three adult SMA patients received a small implant to stimulate their spinal cord using low-voltage electricity during a short one-month study period.
According to Marco Capogrosso, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh who led the research, “These people were definitely not expecting an improvement,” and yet “they were getting better and better.”
Following this stimulation, the unexpected results were improved muscle function, US News reported.
The research team documented their findings in Nature Medicine on February 5, which showed that spinal stimulation has potential as a new SMA treatment method and other muscle-wasting disease therapies.
Researchers have reported evidence that a spine-stimulating implant already being tested for paralysis might also aid neurodegenerative diseases like spinal muscle atrophy. https://t.co/DYIRtvBZNK
— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) February 6, 2025
Details into the findings
Motor neurons, which transmit spinal signals to muscle cells, become the subject of damage due to SMA disease.
When spinal neurons break down, the muscles degenerate to a point where basic movements like walking and standing, along with the breathing process, become challenging.
Electrical pulses released from the implant activate spinal cord area muscles, thus facilitating their power recovery after time-dependent weakening.
Scientists observed three individuals with SMA while monitoring their physical and walking capacity after turning the device on and off.
The implant system only needed a few hours of weekly spinal stimulation before it started showing noticeable improvements, even though it didn’t return to full normal movement abilities.
The six-minute walking test results demonstrated increased distances for all patients, according to research findings.
By the end of the study, this participant achieved the ability to stand up from a kneeling state that he initially lacked.
The walking pattern of another participant grew so that steps expanded to three times their original length.
As per the study participant Doug McCullough, 57, of Franklin Park, N.J., “With a progressive disease, you never get any better,” and, “Either you’re staying stable or getting worse. So, making any improvement is just a really surreal and very exciting benefit.”
Although participants maintained stronger feelings temporarily after treatment, they eventually experienced decreased effects over time.
According to McCullough, he experienced a strong sensation of power even when the stimulator was turned off.
McCullough still experienced minor post-treatment advantages at his six-week check-up, but they disappeared before his six-month appointment.
Furthermore, as neuroscientist Susan Harkema, who is now with the nonprofit Kessler Foundation, mentioned, “Human spinal circuitry is very sophisticated; it’s not just a bunch of reflexes controlled by the brain,” AP News reported.
“This is a very solid study, an important contribution to move forward,” she continued.