Paralysis News and Research

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Paralysis is the loss of muscle function in part of your body. It happens when something goes wrong with the way messages pass between your brain and muscles. Paralysis can be complete or partial. It can occur on one or both sides of your body. It can also occur in just one area, or it can be widespread. Paralysis of the lower half of your body, including both legs, is called paraplegia. Paralysis of the arms and legs is quadriplegia.

Gentle electroacupuncture effectively promotes nerve repair in facial paralysis

Peripheral facial paralysis (PFP) affects around 38 out of every 100,000 people in China, leaving 2% to 29% of patients with lasting issues such as facial twisting, eye dryness, and muscle synkinesis.

20 Jul 2026

Study detects early warning signs of schistosomiasis drug resistance

Scientists have identified genetic changes in wild populations of the parasitic worm that causes schistosomiasis which may reduce its response to praziquantel, the only available treatment.

17 Jul 2026

Walking protein structure explains how cells activate molecular motors

A nerve cell resembles a vast tree with branches that communicate with thousands of other cells. To function, it depends on a motor protein that walks on two legs, hauling urgent cargo from the center of the cell to the faraway tips of every branch.

15 Jul 2026

New stem cell therapy offers hope for chronic spinal injury

New research presented today at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting highlights a significant step toward developing a stem cell-based treatment for chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition for which no effective restorative therapy currently exists.

11 Jul 2026

New framework aligns neural implants with user's needs

Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, PhD, JD, and Amanda R. Merner, PhD, of the Health Technology Performance Lab within the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, are the authors of a paper published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, "Implantable Neuromodulation Devices in Psychiatry: Human Fidelity and Implementation Challenges."

8 Jul 2026

UC San Diego study reveals genetic causes of rare neuromuscular disorders

Scientists at the University of California San Diego have uncovered how genetic mutations cause a rare group of inherited neuromuscular disorders and identified promising new strategies to correct them, including a potential new use for an existing antidepressant.

1 Jul 2026

Advanced brain interfacing technology for both touch and vision restoration

Patients with untreatable conditions such as sight loss or loss of motor-function could be closer to a viable technology for restoring their lost sense, within a faster time frame.

1 Jul 2026

Rare pelvic schwannoma removed with nerve-sparing laparoscopic surgery

Through interdepartmental collaboration, a young woman's quality of life and ability to walk were restored following the laparoscopic removal of a rare, benign tumor of neurological origin in the lesser pelvis, known as a schwannoma (also called a neurinoma).

26 Jun 2026

Genetic testing could sharply increase demand for ALS specialist care

The availability of genetic testing for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for people with a family member diagnosed with the disease is expected to greatly increase the number of clinic visits to specialized ALS centers over the next decade, according to a study published June 24, 2026, in Neurology Genetics, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

24 Jun 2026

U-M Health neurosurgeons complete first human implant of wireless brain computer interface

Neurosurgeons at University of Michigan Health completed the first-in-human implant of a Paradromics Inc., wireless brain-computer interface, or BCI, as part of a national clinical trial for patients with difficulty speaking.

17 Jun 2026

Acupuncture improves stroke recovery and reshapes brain networks

Acupuncture shows promise for stroke recovery, promoting neuroplasticity and motor function improvements, according to findings from a randomized MRI trial.

8 Jun 2026

Electrical neck implants immediately restore arm mobility in stroke survivors

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers report the final outcomes of a pioneering pilot clinical trial using electrical stimulation of the spinal cord to improve arm and hand mobility in people with chronic stroke today in Nature Medicine.

4 Jun 2026

Modified injectable vaccine shows promise for complete polio eradication

In the United States, children routinely receive an injectable form of the polio vaccine. This vaccine is very effective at preventing illness, but it doesn't block transmission of the polio virus as well as the oral polio vaccine does.

3 Jun 2026

Acupuncture improves muscle function recovery in stroke patients

Paralysis on one side of the body is common after stroke. A new study in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics demonstrates that acupuncture can significantly improve muscle function recovery in patients who experienced a stroke, with this recovery correlating to increases in grey matter volume in certain regions of the brain related to cognitive-motor integration.

3 Jun 2026

Rice and Baylor join BrainGate to develop brain-computer interfaces for people with paralysis

When a person loses a limb, a prosthesis often can help restore a significant degree of mobility. But when movement or communication is impaired by a neurological condition such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury or stroke, there are, as of yet, very few options for the affected individual.

28 May 2026

Miniature lab grown circuits unlock hidden recovery paths for paralysis

Cambridge scientists have grown miniature circuits in the lab that mimic how the brain and spinal cord connect up, which underlies our movements. They used this model to show how damage to these connections previously considered 'irreversible' could, in fact, be reversible.

28 May 2026

Worms help researchers tackle rare childhood genetic disease

A new worm model developed by Brown University researchers could play a key role in treating a rare genetic disease that causes paralysis in children and worsens with age.

13 May 2026

New photoacoustic imaging helps robotic surgeons avoid hidden anatomical hazards

Surgery is a complicated endeavor. Even a successful surgery can lead to complications, and even the best surgeons sometimes have unsuccessful surgeries.

11 May 2026

Scientists uncover why brain damage continues after stroke

Every stroke begins with a sudden interruption of blood flow in the brain. But what happens afterward—why neurons continue to lose function and die over the following days—has remained one of the most important unanswered questions in neuroscience.

28 Apr 2026

New guidelines aim to improve concussion care for first responders

Management of sports-related concussions has come a long way in the past 25 years: Once considered a minor problem involving minimal time out of the game, a severe knock to the head is now assessed as a potential traumatic brain injury and, if confirmed, requires a structured recovery and an average wait of 13 days before play resumes.

6 Apr 2026