Dr. Nancy Discusses A Potential Cure for Paralysis

" Back at 741 with the exciting news for patients with spinal cord injuries. Researches at UCLA and the University of Zurich have been able paralyzed lab rats to walk and even run again. NBC's chief medical editor doctor Nancy steinem and he would more doctor Nancy compelling Internet. This is amazing it is a game -- I think and the because we've always believe the brain has to communicate with the nurse in order to for -- to walk right that's not the case here. Know what these researchers have found. Think that Democrats and -- parent -- severed the spinal cord so that lower limbs didn't work and you're right the voters believe the computer and our brains. Had to connect to our lower legs. But what they found. Was that you build muscles below the injury that muscles of your legs and hips. If they gave a medication that's like this your time like medication and gave low level electrical shock. They can get these -- walking like this now they're walking. -- export their local loading if you will so they are able to use the muscles and nerves of the lower body to walk. Now it's not the brain connecting to those muscles it really is the external stimuli of the electricity and the Medicaid and the combination that would and that training. And then the train trip because when it when they first start this that the animal can not walk. An assistant right and I want -- sort of dragged along on the treadmill but they found that this locomotion. That really training that. The muscles -- a combined with the nerve stimulation and the and the Madison. Is really the difference that you think that the -- is being held up here just arrest -- walk on. For -- right what they really do is just supporting the upper body. And one of the really important things is that they found that just one week after injury. They can get these -- locomotive like that -- what are what citizens how significant is this in terms of human let me take it one step further now let's assume that you've been in an automobile act like it and you can't move your lower legs -- in a wheelchair. But you do have -- upper body strength. What -- I put you little walker. And then with an epidural gave -- a little bit of medication. And we taught you how to walk -- a treadmill and build up restricting gave -- this low level electrical shock. Suddenly you're can walk you can get to the grocery store you don't have to worry about the sores breaking down because you're lying or sitting all the time. You take someone who was wheelchair. Bound. And you allow them in fact to local vote on two feet and when we start seeing human trials don't I think the next couple of years are gonna start to seek human trials there's it was a big jump from -- To human behind this but. Although we've seen rats the past be able to move muscles a little this is the first independent time. We've seen an animal actually be able to move. Himself on a treadmill supporting his own way. So the jump from rats to human beings will be within the next couple of years I do think this is a game chasing that. And in use and that they will fast -- this because it is so I mean they're gonna fast track tonight really terrific what's the downside these medications are well known. I think for a lot of people who are paralyzed or wheelchair bound they're gonna say put me your clinical trial I wanna be one of those people. And we know current all the money that Christopher Reeve has put into this and the attention and the fact that there really is. A global network of researchers working together. I really think within our lifetime we're gonna see this this kind of injury. -- That puts some medication and there and electrical current from the outside. I think increasingly you won't see it very cumbersome. And if you do have the strength of your upper body he -- support yourself with a walker. Get the stimulus to your lower body. And probably in the near future not -- even be so recognizable. It also affects things other than walking two and improving other conditions of the body when you're right latter can control may change certainly. Depression since Soriano and all kinds of breakdown of fun of by -- skin problems. Sexual function bowel control we don't know different muscle set. But certainly for the muscles that -- you to move huge breakthrough when you think that one of fifty people in this country is paralyzed that's an amazing breakthrough stunning after Nancy thank you so you better."