Bordeaux, France – Marc Gauthier, 63, has experienced a remarkable transformation in his daily life. For nearly three decades, he has grappled with the challenges imposed by Parkinson’s disease, including freezing and stiffness that made even simple activities like entering an elevator or taking a lakeside stroll of 3 miles nearly impossible.
In a recent study published in Nature Medicine, Gauthier underwent a groundbreaking procedure involving the surgical implantation of an experimental spinal cord neuroprosthesis. This innovative approach aims to alleviate walking disorders commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease by delivering precise electrical stimulation to specific spinal cord regions linked to walking.
Speaking through an interpreter during a news briefing, Gauthier, who resides near Bordeaux, France, shared his newfound freedom: “Walking in a store would be really difficult, impossible before because of the freezing of gait that would often happen in those environments. And now, it just doesn’t happen anymore. I don’t have freezing anymore.”
The study, authored by Dr. Eduardo Moraud, a researcher at Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland, illuminates the neuroprosthesis’s mechanism. It allows for the individualized targeting and resolution of various gait and balance problems commonly found in Parkinson’s disease. Moraud emphasized the complexity of addressing such deficits, which can vary significantly among patients, affecting not only walking but also symmetry, balance, and posture.
Moraud highlighted the significance of this neuroprosthetic approach: “The neuroprosthetic approach that we have developed here allows for the first time to target and address these problems individually in a highly specific manner for each patient. It operates in real time, and importantly, it is complementary to other existing therapies.”
Parkinson’s disease, characterized by the degeneration of brain regions responsible for movement control, particularly the basal ganglia, often leads to walking-related symptoms. These symptoms arise when nerve cells in the basal ganglia area, which typically produce dopamine, become impaired or die, resulting in a lack of dopamine that affects mobility, walking, and balance. Approximately 90% of individuals with Parkinson’s experience locomotor deficits. While there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, various treatments, such as deep brain stimulation or dopamine-boosting medications, can alleviate symptoms to some extent.