Friday, July 28, 2023

New tech enables paralyzed man to move and feel again

Plus more health news |

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An exclusive account of how a quadriplegic man regained movement and sense of touch thanks to new technology
By Brian Braganza
Video Producer

I tried to imagine an accident that suddenly left me paralyzed from the chest down, being thrust into a world where I’m told I cannot walk for the rest of my life and that simple gestures like being able to feel things with my hands are no longer a possibility. I tried to imagine what it would be like if, three years after being paralyzed, I was able to regain my sense of touch and feel my loved ones again. I tried to imagine this because this was the reality for Keith Thomas—the subject of a written and video story TIME published this morning—who broke his neck during a diving accident in 2020 and then, with the help of a new clinical trial led by researchers from Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, recently had some of his paralysis reversed.

Thomas has participated in a novel clinical trial that aims to restore lasting gains in his mobility and sense of touch. Unlike previous methods of stimulating limb mobility, this double neural bypass links the brain, spinal cord, and body in a way that allows him to move his arms and feel in his hands, even without being attached to external devices.

There are still very real physical challenges for Thomas. Basic tasks like moving up and down a flight of stairs requires assistance from a family member and a specially outfitted lift in his home. But what struck me about Thomas's story is how incremental improvements, like restoring the ability to feel the hands of a loved one after not being able to for three years, can have monumental impacts on a person’s life and wellbeing.

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ONE MORE READ FROM ELSEWHERE
How to safely swim in somewhat questionable waters

If you’re planning to cool down by jumping into a natural body of water this weekend, take heed: 57 million illnesses each year are caused by swimming in contaminated oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds in the U.S.

In a new piece for the New York Times, Melinda Wenner Moyer offers tips for making your dip a safe experience. For example, heavy rain can cause sewage overflows that lead to unsafe bacterial levels—so it’s best to avoid swimming for several days after a downpour.

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Today's newsletter was written by Brian Braganza and Angela Haupt, and edited by Elijah Wolfson.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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