In New Medical Miracle The Paralyzed Will Walk Again

And of course there is hope also for people with spinal-cord injuries that happened higher up the spine. They experience paralysis in more of their body. Now ways can be developed that they can move their arms and hands as well as their legs.

Dr Michael Sofroniew, a professor at UCLA, was the chief author of the study, which was published in the January issue of the journal Nature Medicine. He describes the findings with this metaphor:

The nerves between the brain cells and the lowest end of the spinal cord are like freeways you drive on. When there is a traffic accident all the traffic gets backed up. It seems to stop.

But if you really need to get where you are going on time, you get off the freeway at the closest exit and take a side street. Normally that side street would not be convenient but when there is an accident it is the only way through.

The detour is slower and not as "direct" but it still allows the driver to get to the destination. This can happen with your spinal-cord nerves also. The pathway can be redirected through undamaged nerves, keeping something similar to the original connection.

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