Researchers Hope Monkey Study Will Help Paralyzed - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

5/29/08

Researchers Hope Monkey Study Will Help Paralyzed

Posted:

Fascinating research done on monkeys could one day help humans do things they are unable to do with their bodies, just by using their minds. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh say that the monkeys, using only their thoughts to control a robot arm, have learned how to feed themselves.

Researchers attached electrodes to about a hundred individual nerve cells in the monkey's brain.  When those neurons fired correctly, the monkeys got their food. The research is aimed at helping more than a million severely paralyzed Americans.

Dr. Schwartz, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, says, "To be able to have fingers move to be able to button buttons and zipper zippers and then also to impart sensory input to have tactile sensation that will actually transmit back to the brain so that you'll have a feeling of what's going on in the prosthetic hand."

Dr. Schwartz hopes to begin human experiments within the next two years.

Donate Online to the Children's Miracle Network
Click here to make an online donation to CMN. Just go the tab that says "Make a Donation" and choose Children's Miracle Network to donate now. Thank you for your support!

  • HealthWise Health Center

  • Look inside here for the latest on children's health tips, infections, nutrition, allergies and more.

  • See inside for information on breast cancer, menopause, pregnancy, heart disease, dieting, nutrition, and the latest women's health news.

  • Learn more about the latest health concerns facing men, as well as conditions most commonly experienced like prostate cancer.

  • Get the latest on arthritis, memory loss, heart conditions, osteoporosis and the latest news on seniors' health.

  • Alzheimer's disease is a group of disorders involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. It is marked by progressive deterioration, which affects both the memory and reasoning capabilities of an individual. Learn about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.