In experiment, electrical stimulation of the spinal cord helps a patient with Parkinson’s to walk
An experimental treatment that delivers an electrical current to the spinal cord appeared to notably improve the ability of a man with Parkinson’s to keep his balance and walk without freezing up, a development that experts say could be a dramatic advance if it is found to deliver similar benefits in larger studies.
The volunteer, identified as Marc, a 62-year-old who has had Parkinson’s for 30 years, spoke on a call with reporters last week. He said that before the neurostimulation device was installed, he would fall five or six times a day. He was forced to stay home and to stop working. Now, he said, he can go out alone again without terrifying his wife, or even walk inside a store, something he couldn’t do before.
