🧠🦵💉 Paralized Braddah Can Walk On His Own T’anks To Brain an’ Spine Implants

Befo’ 2011, our braddah Gert-Jan Oskam wen’ live da high life in China. One day, he wen’ get into one motorcycle accident dat wen’ paralyze him from da hips down. Broke da heart 💔. But fast forward to today, science wen’ step in an’ gave him back da control of his lower body. Chee hoo! 🙌👨‍🔬

Oskam said, “Fo’ 12 years I been tryin’ fo’ get back my feet. Now, I learned how fo’ walk normal, natural”. An’ da way scientists wen’ help him do dat was wit’ implants dat wen’ provide one “digital bridge” between his brain an’ spinal cord, bypassing da injured parts. Bro, dis 40-year-old guy now can stand, walk, an’ go up one steep ramp wit’ only da help of one walker 🚶‍♂️🌉.

Even afta’ da implant wen’ get inserted mo’ den a year ago, he still get da ability fo’ do all dat stuff. An’ even mo’ interesting, wen’ da implant was turned off, he still wen’ show signs of neurological recovery, walking wit’ crutches 🧠🚀.

Da discovery of dis kine of treatment fo’ spinal cord injury no’ stay new. We wen’ see plenty advancements over da years. One group of scientists, led by Dr. Courtine, was able fo’ restore da ability fo’ walk in paralyzed monkeys 🐒, an’ anoddah group wen’ help one man regain control of his crippled hand ✋.

Oskam himself wen’ undergo previous treatments, an’ had even regained some ability to walk, but his improvement eventually wen’ plateau. Wit’ dis new device, he no’ feel dat disconnect between his mind an’ body no more. He say, “Da stimulation befo’ was controlling me, an’ now I’m controlling da stimulation” 🎛️🎮.

In dis new study, da researchers took advantage of one AI thought decoder fo’ read Mr. Oskam’s intentions — detectable as electrical signals in his brain — an’ match dem to muscle movements. Da only new ting, as Dr. Courtine wen’ explain, was da digital bridge over da injured parts of da spine 🌉⚡.

Now, scientists been theorizing about connecting da brain to spinal cord stimulators fo’ decades, but dis da first time dey wen’ achieve such success in one human patient. Andrew Jackson, one neuroscientist at Newcastle University who no’ wen’ involved in da study, was all about da philosophical implications of dis kine treatment. He say, “You’re continuing to blur da boundary between what’s da brain an’ what’s da technology” 🧠💻.

Fo’ achieve dis kine results, da researchers first wen’ implant electrodes in Mr. Oskam’s skull an’ spine. Dey wen’ use one machine-learning program fo’ see which parts of da brain wen’ light up as he wen’ try fo’ move different parts of his body. Den dey wen’ use anoddah algorithm to connect da brain implant to da spinal implant. Dey wen’ make ‘um send electrical signals to different parts of his body, sparking movement ⚡💃.

Over da next few months, da researchers wen’ fine-tune da brain-spine interface. Oskam wen’ start fo’ walk an’ stand more natural. He wen’ even able fo’ go up steps an’ ramps wit’ relative ease, even afta’ months without treatment. Moreover, afta’ one year in treatment, he wen’ start noticing clear improvements in his movement without da help of da brain-spine interface.

Nowadays, Oskam can walk around his house, get in an’ out of one car an’ stand at one bar fo’ one drink 🏡🚗🍺. Fo’ da first time, he feel like he da one in control 🕹️.

Da researchers wen’ admit dat dey still get limitations in their work. Da treatment is invasive, needing multiple surgeries an’ hours of physical therapy. Da current system no’ fix all spinal cord paralysis. But dey stay hopeful dat further advances would make da treatment mo’ accessible an’ more systematically effective. Dey say, “Dis is our true objective, to make dis technology available across da world for all da patients who need it” 🌍💡🏥.

So, no matta how tough da road seem, rememba dis story of Gert-Jan Oskam. His courage an’ da brilliance of da scientists stay reminding us dat no dream too big fo’ achieve, no mountain too high fo’ climb 🏔️🌈🙏.

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NOW IN ENGLISH

🧠🦵💉 Groundbreaking Brain and Spine Implants Enable Paralyzed Man to Walk Again

In 2011, Gert-Jan Oskam, a resident in China, was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Fast forward to the present day, scientists have bestowed upon him the ability to control his lower body once more, thanks to a combination of innovative devices 🙌👨‍🔬.

For 12 long years, Oskam strived to regain the mobility of his feet. Today, he’s learnt how to walk naturally again. The key to this extraordinary change was a set of implants that established a ‘digital bridge’ between his brain and his spinal cord, essentially bypassing the injured segments. This breakthrough allowed the 40-year-old to stand, walk, and even ascend a steep ramp, with only the aid of a walker 🚶‍♂️🌉.

Remarkably, over a year since the insertion of the implant, Oskam has maintained these capabilities. Even when the implant was turned off, he demonstrated signs of neurological recovery, managing to walk with the support of crutches 🧠🚀.

The concept of using technology to treat spinal cord injuries isn’t new. There have been numerous advancements in the field over the years. A team of scientists, led by Dr. Courtine, was previously able to restore mobility in paralyzed monkeys 🐒, and another group managed to help a man regain control of his hand that was previously immobilized ✋.

Oskam himself had undergone various treatments in the past and had somewhat regained his ability to walk, but his progress eventually plateaued. However, this new device helped to bridge the gap between his mind and body. As Oskam stated, “The stimulation before was controlling me, and now I’m controlling the stimulation” 🎛️🎮.

The researchers, in their innovative study, utilized an artificial intelligence thought decoder to interpret Oskam’s intentions—electrical signals in his brain—and match them to muscle movements. The only new addition, as explained by Dr. Courtine, was the digital bridge that connected the healthy parts of the spine, bypassing the injured segments 🌉⚡.

Andrew Jackson, a neuroscientist at Newcastle University who was not involved in the study, reflected on the philosophical implications of this type of treatment. He stated, “You’re continuing to blur the boundary between what’s the brain and what’s the technology” 🧠💻.

The journey to this groundbreaking result began with implanting electrodes in Oskam’s skull and spine. Then, a machine-learning program was utilized to identify the parts of the brain that activated as he tried to move various body parts. Another algorithm then connected the brain implant to the spinal implant, which was programmed to send electrical signals to different parts of his body, thus initiating movement ⚡💃.

Over the following months, the researchers fine-tuned the brain-spine interface. Oskam started walking and standing more naturally, able to navigate stairs and ramps with relative ease, even after months without treatment. After a year in treatment, he began noticing clear improvements in his movement even without the aid of the brain-spine interface.

Presently, Oskam is able to walk within the confines of his house, get in and out of a car, and even stand at a bar for a drink 🏡🚗🍺. For the first time, he feels as if he’s the one in control 🕹️.

The researchers acknowledged that their work does have limitations. The treatment is invasive, requiring multiple surgeries and hours of physical therapy. The current system does not completely cure all spinal cord paralysis. However, they are hopeful that further advancements will make the treatment more accessible and systematically effective. Their true objective is to make this technology available to patients across the globe who need it 🌍💡🏥.

The story of Gert-Jan Oskam serves as a beacon of hope and determination. His courage, along with the brilliance of the scientists involved, reminds us that no dream is too big to achieve, and no mountain too high to climb 🏔️🌈🙏.”