Scientists Identify Neurons Needed to Walk After Paralysis

Nine people with spinal injuries walked again after electrical stimulation, allowing researchers to pinpoint neurons likely underlying their recovery.

Written byAmanda Heidt

| 3 min read

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A visualization of a spinal cord with neurons highlighted in red

Visualization of the neurons involved in regaining the ability to walk after paralysis

Image credit:NeuroRestore/Jimmy Ravier

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Scientists now have a better understanding of how our bodies respond to spinal cord injuries and the specific cells that may direct recovery. In a study published November 9 in Nature, researchers followed nine previously paralyzed patients undergoing a regimen of electrical stimulation who regained their ability to walk and compared their findings to mice that received a similar treatment. The team identified two neural populations that appeared to orchestrate the rewiring of connections between nerve cells following injury in the animal model. If these neurons function the same way in humans, it could lead to better-targeted therapies for spinal cord injuries.

In 2018, scientists first recognized that stimulating nerves near the site of injury—a process known as epidural electrical stimulation (EES)—could ease a person’s pain following a spinal cord injury and restore their ability to walk when combined with intensive physical therapy. But even though this method was one ...

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Meet the Author

Amanda Heidt
Amanda first began dabbling in scicom as a master’s student studying marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs, where she edited the student blog and interned at a local NPR station. She enjoyed that process of demystifying science so much that after receiving her degree in 2019, she went straight into a second master’s program in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Formerly an intern at The Scientist, Amanda joined the team as a staff reporter and editor in 2021 and oversaw the publication’s internship program, assigned and edited the Foundations, Scientist to Watch, and Short Lit columns, and contributed original reporting across the publication. Amanda’s stories often focus on issues of equity and representation in academia, and she brings this same commitment to DEI to the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains and to the board of the National Association of Science Writers, which she has served on since 2022. She is currently based in the outdoor playground that is Moab, Utah. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.
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