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.

BGU researchers elucidate molecular mechanism that could lead to new therapies for ALS

Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have published a new study that describes a novel molecular mechanism that could lead to the development of new therapies for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

4 Oct 2016

Researchers uncover pneumonia causing bacteria as trigger for autoimmune disease GBS

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute life-threatening disease of the nervous system that leads to sensory disturbances and acute flaccid paralysis.

3 Oct 2016

Stanford scientists develop novel brain-sensing technology that allows typing at 12 words per minute

It does not take an infinite number of monkeys to type a passage of Shakespeare. Instead, it takes a single monkey equipped with brain-sensing technology - and a cheat sheet.

3 Oct 2016

Scientists find way to reverse malfunctioning protein clumps involved in ALS

In the quest to understand the driving forces behind neurodegenerative diseases, researchers in recent years have zeroed in on clumps of malfunctioning proteins thought to kill neurons in the brain and spinal cord by jamming their cellular machinery.

22 Sep 2016

ITESM graduates develop innovative exoskeleton that uses artificial intelligence and augmented reality

Exoskeletons are mechanical structures applied externally to the body and its functions is the improve movement, hold the body of people suffering from an injury or increase physical strength to lift heavy objects.

22 Sep 2016

Experimental drug may prevent development of multiple sclerosis in mice

The experimental drug laquinimod may prevent the development or reduce the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) in mice, according to research published in the September 21, 2016, online issue of Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

21 Sep 2016

Sleep paralysis can be strange and frightening experience but not harmful

Your eyes begin to open after a good night of sleep, but something feels weird. You try to rub the tiredness out of your face but can't lift your arms. In a panic you try to take a deep breath but can't draw air.

20 Sep 2016

Clinical trial assesses efficacy of experimental treatment in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury

Physicians at Rush University Medical Center became the first in Illinois to inject AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells), an experimental treatment, into the damaged cervical spine of a recently paralyzed man as part of a multicenter clinical trial.

14 Sep 2016

AAGBI releases new standards of monitoring during anaesthesia for better patient safety

The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland has this month published new Standards in patient monitoring (Recommendations for standards of monitoring during anaesthesia and recovering 2016), and calls for all hospitals to work towards using capnography for all anaesthetist-led sedation to improve patient safety.

8 Sep 2016

Study shows link between steroid use and poor outcomes in Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis

Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School have found that patients who were prescribed corticosteroids as part of treatment for Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis had worse long-term outcomes of regaining facial function than those who were prescribed antibiotic therapy alone.

7 Sep 2016

Special review highlights benefits of using botulinum neurotoxin for treating facial wrinkles

Botox and other botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) products are widely known for their use in treating facial wrinkles--but they can also be used to treat a wide range of non-cosmetic problems.

31 Aug 2016

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation awards Quality of Life grants to 79 nonprofit organizations

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to improving quality of life for individuals living with paralysis, announced it has awarded $575,704 in Quality of Life grants to 79 nonprofit organizations nationwide.

27 Aug 2016

Virtual reality training helps paralyzed patients regain movement

Eight people with long-term paralysis from spinal cord injuries have regained some motor control after learning to control their own brain activity.

12 Aug 2016

Long-term brain-machine interface use could lead to recovery in paraplegic patients

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, a young Brazilian man, paralyzed from the chest down, delivered the opening kickoff. He used a brain-machine interface, allowing him to control the movements of a lower-limb robotic exoskeleton.

12 Aug 2016

Scientists unravel effect of prion proteins on the nerves

Ever since the prion gene was discovered in 1985, its role and biological impact on the neurons has remained a mystery.

9 Aug 2016

Researchers clarify beneficial function of brain protein linked to mad cow disease

Scientists have clarified details in understanding the beneficial function of a type of protein normally associated with prion diseases of the brain, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (commonly known as mad cow disease) and its human counterpart, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

8 Aug 2016

Botulinum toxins may cause remote effects by moving between neurons

The botulinum toxins are among the deadliest substances on Earth, and two specific toxins — including the popular drug Botox — have multiple uses for treating many neuromuscular conditions, including frown lines, disabling muscle spasms and migraine headaches.

5 Aug 2016

Neurologists identify cause of immune-mediated neuropathies

Würzburg neurologists have discovered an antibody that is involved in triggering certain forms of neuropathies. This discovery also allowed them to show a way to treat these diseases successfully.

3 Aug 2016

Large study of familial ALS finds new gene variant present in 3% of all patients with disease

Variations in a gene with multiple functions in neurons are present in approximately 3 percent of all cases of ALS in North American and European populations, both sporadic and familial, making it one of the most common genetic causes of the disease, according to a paper published in Nature Genetics.

26 Jul 2016

Penn researchers develop plant-based oral vaccine booster

Jonas Salk created a vaccine against polio that has been used since 1955; Albert Sabin created another version that has been on the market since 1961. Together, these two vaccines have nearly eliminated polio from the face of the earth.

20 Jul 2016