Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 29: In a promising development for spinal injury treatment, a team of Australian researchers has successfully restored movement in rats using an implantable electronic device, offering new hope for human patients and even injured pets in the future.

The trial, conducted at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, demonstrated significant recovery in animals with spinal cord injuries—a condition long considered incurable and life-altering.

“Unlike a cut on the skin, the spinal cord doesn’t regenerate effectively, which is what makes these injuries so devastating,” said Dr. Bruce Harland, senior research fellow at the university’s School of Pharmacy. “We developed an ultra-thin implant that sits directly over the injury site on the spinal cord, delivering a carefully controlled electrical current.”

The implant, designed to stimulate healing in damaged nerve tissue, showed remarkable results in a 12-week study. Rats treated with daily electrical stimulation regained more movement and responsiveness to touch than those left to recover naturally.

“Rats naturally possess a greater capacity for spontaneous recovery compared to humans,” explained Professor Darren Svirskis, director of the CatWalk Cure Programme. “This allowed us to clearly measure the added benefits of the electrical stimulation.”

Notably, the treatment did not cause any inflammation or secondary damage, an important milestone for proving its safety alongside effectiveness. “This shows we can promote healing without harming the delicate spinal cord tissue,” Dr. Harland added.

Professor Maria Asplund of Chalmers University of Technology, involved in the collaboration, said the research team now aims to refine the therapy. “We’ll be testing how variations in stimulation—such as frequency, intensity, and duration—impact recovery. The goal is to find the most effective treatment formula for spinal-cord repair.”

While still in the animal trial phase, the success of this implant opens the door for transforming it into a viable medical device for humans suffering from paralysis or loss of sensation due to spinal cord injuries.