Every year, hundreds of thousands of people suffer from spinal cord injuries (SCI) or Parkinson’s disease (PD), disrupting communication between the brain and the neurons of the spinal cord that control movement and autonomic functions. The result is severe motor and autonomic impairments that drastically reduce quality of life and require intensive care.
Bloch, Courtine, Lacour, Lorach, Martin Moraud, Squair
- Grégoire Courtine
- Jocelyne Bloch
- Stéphanie Lacour
- Henri Lorach
- Eduardo Martin Moraud
- Jordan Squair
Researchers from EPFL and CHUV in Switzerland have developed ground-breaking spinal neuroprostheses that, through precise application of epidural electrical stimulation, reactivate the spinal neurons controlling walking and blood pressure.
By stimulating the nerves where they enter the spinal cord – through the dorsal nerve roots – these prosthetic implants can now restore walking, standing balance, navigation across complex terrain and blood pressure regulation in both animals and humans with chronic paralysis or Parkinson’s disease.
From research to clinical reality
Over several years, the team combined neurophysiology, neurosurgery, and neurotechnology to understand how stimulation interacts with the spinal cord.
The result was:
- Flexible and biocompatible electrodes (E-dura) that mimic neural tissue structure.
- The first neuroprosthetic systems that restore walking in primates and humans with spinal cord injury.
- Development of brain-controlled neuroprostheses that allow people with paraplegia to climb stairs and move across complex terrain.
- Expansion into the treatment of Parkinson’s motor symptoms and autonomic dysfunction (for example, blood pressure regulation).
To bring the technology from the lab to patients, the researchers founded ONWARD Medical and .NeuroRestore, ensuring clinical trials, further development, and the training of new scientists. The clinical platform ARCIM is expected to revolutionize treatment for SCI and PD, with the potential to significantly reduce disability and healthcare costs.
The project’s core values – curiosity, collaboration, responsibility, respect, and openness – are reflected in their partnerships with patient organizations, mentoring programs for young researchers, and active public engagement through media and events.