A research group of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science's Brain Function Reconstruction Project has succeeded in imparting new motor functions to brain regions that do not have hand motor functions using an artificial neural connection system.It proved that motor function can be reconstructed by connecting the remaining brain regions even if cerebral infarction develops, and it can be said that it paved the way for early recovery by rehabilitation.
The results were announced by a research group led by Yukio Nishimura, a project leader of the Brain Function Reconstruction Project (former associate professor of the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University).According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, the research group has developed an artificial neural connection system that can play a role similar to nerve cells in the brain, receiving information on nerve cells and transmitting that information to the next cell.
When we connected this system to a model animal in which nerve cells connecting the brain and spinal cord were damaged by cerebral infarction and transmitted brain information to the paralyzed muscle, the model animal was an artificial neural connection system in about 10 minutes from the start of the experiment. I became able to move my paralyzed hand freely at my own will.At that time, the brain region that had been responsible for shoulder and facial movements was moving the paralyzed hands.
The research group believes that this system can be used to reconstruct motor function by connecting the remaining parts, regardless of the original role of the brain region.In the future, we will strengthen our efforts toward clinical trials for patients with human cerebral infarction and spinal cord injury.
Paper information:[Nature Communications] Bypassing stroke-damaged neural pathways via a neural interface induces targeted cortical adaptation
