Paralyzed Man Can Feed Himself and Pet His Dog Again Thanks to Double Neural Bypass Surgery - Good News Network

What the report says

Good News Network reported that Keith Thomas of Massapequa, New York, who was paralyzed from the chest down after a swimming pool accident in summer 2020, has regained some arm and hand abilities through an experimental “double neural bypass” system. The work is being carried out by the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, where Thomas was enrolled in a three-year medical trial a few months after breaking his neck.

According to the report, the system uses brain implants to detect Thomas’s intended arm movements and routes those signals through a computer to stimulate nerves in his arms and hands. Its “double” function also involves sensors in his fingers that send information about touch and objects back toward the brain through the implanted electrodes. The setup has allowed him to perform actions such as feeding himself, touching his dog’s fur and responding to the feel of objects including a cup, ball or egg.

Good News Network said Thomas trained with the system for 35 weeks and saw increased strength in both arms, reported as 86% in the right arm and 62% in the left, along with better range of motion. The article said some gains in sensation and function have continued even when the computer system is not active, an important detail because lasting improvement is a major goal in paralysis research.

The progress was presented in a paper in Nature, the outlet reported. Professor Chad Bouton, who leads the Feinstein team behind the technology, described the work as part of a broader effort to restore both movement and touch for people living with paralysis.