'DIGITAL BRIDGE' OFFERS HOPE FOR THE PARALYSED

Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one of the most devastating medical conditions, with no definitive cure to alleviate its lifelong consequences. For many patients, a split-second accident leads to permanent paralysis and a lifetime of physical limitation, medical dependence and emotional struggle.

- Story by JUTAMAS TADTHIEMROM

In 2019, Grégoire Courtine received a Rolex Award for his idea to create a spinal implant that could connect to the wearer's brain via a “Digital Bridge”. This technology enabled an individual with chronic tetraplegia to stand and walk naturally for the first time.

The breakthrough has placed neuroscience pioneers Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch at the centre of global attention as they continue their mission to transform the lives of people living with paralysis. Courtine even received a Rolex Award for his idea.

THE LAUREATE OF PRECISION

Courtine, the sole Laureate of the Rolex Awards in neuroscience, has dedicated more than two decades to understanding and repairing the injured spinal cord. Recognised for groundbreaking science, he and Bloch have advanced therapies once thought impossible.

In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Courtine reflected on his journey: “My commitment to SCI patients began when I was 27. I realised that after an accident lasting just a few seconds, you may never walk again. That moment shaped my life's work.”

Bloch added: “Every innovation is a step forward. The goal is to restore natural movement and independence for patients who have lost so much.”

FROM LABORATORY TO HUMAN APPLICATION

The digital bridge builds on earlier research into Epidural Electrical Stimulation (EES) — an implant that delivers electrical pulses to the spinal cord below the site of injury, stimulating dormant neural circuits.

Courtine and his research team first tested the therapy in animal models in 2012. In one landmark experiment, they enabled a paralysed rat to walk voluntarily by combining drug therapy, targeted electrical stimulation of the lower spinal cord, robotic-assisted support and even a small chocolate reward as motivation.