New York, July 30: In a groundbreaking achievement, doctors in the United States, including Indian-origin physicians, utilized brain implants and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to restore the sense of touch and movement in a quadriplegic man, who suffered paralysis in all four limbs.
Keith Thomas, 45, faced complete paralysis from the chest down after a diving accident in 2020. Seeking a solution, he volunteered for a revolutionary clinical trial conducted at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
The team at Feinstein successfully implanted microchips into Thomas’s brain and developed AI algorithms to re-establish a connection between his brain and spinal cord. For months, a group of researchers, engineers, and surgeons conducted functional MRIs to pinpoint the areas responsible for arm movement and the sensation of touch in his hand.
In a 15-hour open-brain surgery on March 9 at North Shore University Hospital, Thomas provided real-time feedback to the surgeons, communicating the sensations he experienced in his hands. With this invaluable information, the team strategically placed two chips in the area responsible for movement and three more in the part of the brain responsible for touch and feeling in the fingers.
The research, published in Brain Stimulation, has the potential to significantly benefit millions of individuals living with paralysis and neuropathy. With the implementation of thought-driven therapy, Thomas can now read, interpret, and translate his thoughts into action in the lab.
The thought-driven therapy involves Thomas’s intentions being translated into electrical signals from his brain implant to a computer. The computer then sends signals to non-invasive electrode patches placed over his spine and hand muscles, stimulating and promoting function and recovery. In return, tiny sensors at his fingertips and palm send touch and pressure information back to the sensory area of his brain, restoring sensation.
The remarkable results of this double neural bypass have been evident in the lab, where Thomas can move his arms at will and feel sensations in his forearm and wrist, even when the system is turned off. Researchers noted that Thomas is already experiencing some natural recovery from his injuries due to this innovative approach, offering the potential to reverse some of the damage permanently.
Thomas expressed his overwhelming gratitude for the restored sense of touch, especially feeling the touch of someone holding his hand, an experience he cherished deeply. The success of this medical breakthrough opens new doors of hope for those living with paralysis and underscores the incredible possibilities of brain implants and AI in medical advancements.
