Can stimulation within the cervical spinal cord reanimate hand and arm movements?

We have demonstrated that stimulation within the cervical spinal cord is capable of evoking hand and arm movements both before and after injury. Intraspinal stimulation evokes functional and synergistic movements that may be the ideal means to reanimate paralyzed limbs.

We have developed chronically-implanted stimulating electrodes to activate the cervical spinal cord. These electrodes, adapted from the work of Vivian Mushahwar, permit robust forelimb movements to be evoked from animal subjects.

 Cervical Intraspinal stimulation electrode described in Kasten et al (2013)