
-
Top Russian official in Washington for talks on improving ties
-
Sinner's former physio to blame for failed dope tests, says ex-physical trainer
-
Germany slams Trump tariffs, US tech titans in crosshairs
-
Trump tariff blitz sparks retaliation threats, economic fears
-
Search for Malaysia's long missing MH370 suspended
-
Hungary announces ICC withdrawal as Israel's Netanyahu visits
-
Trump's tariffs sting Asian giants, including US allies
-
India says 'examining the implications' of US tariffs
-
Evenepoel set to make injury return at Tour de Romandie
-
USA sole bidder for 2031 Women's World Cup, UK set to host in 2035 - Infantino
-
McLaren's Norris says it's 'our turn' for success
-
Lessons and liquids: buried alive in Myanmar's earthquake
-
Trump tariffs spark fears for Asian jobs, exporting sectors
-
Stocks and dollar sink, havens rally as Trump tariffs fan trade war
-
Runners fly to North Korea for first post-Covid Pyongyang Marathon
-
Hamilton rubbishes claims he's lost faith in Ferrari
-
Nintendo Switch 2 sparks excitement despite high price
-
Sri Lanka's crackdown on dogs for India PM's visit sparks protest
-
S Korea police raise security levels ahead of impeachment verdict
-
China vows 'countermeasures' to sweeping new US tariffs
-
Trump jolts allies, foes and markets with tariff blitz
-
France says EU to target US online services after Trump tariffs
-
Tsunoda vows to bring 'something different' after Red Bull promotion
-
Verstappen not happy with Tsunoda-Lawson Red Bull swap
-
Experts accuse 54 top Nicaragua officials of grave abuses
-
Remains of 30th victim of Los Angeles fires found
-
EU to target US online services after Trump tariffs: France
-
How Trump's 'liberation day' tariffs will impact China
-
Malaysia suspends search for long-missing flight MH370
-
Search for long-missing flight MH370 suspended: Malaysia minister
-
Europe hits out at Trump tariffs, keeps door open for talks
-
Myanmar's junta chief to head to Bangkok summit as quake toll surpasses 3,000
-
Lawson vows to prove he belongs in F1 after shock of Red Bull axing
-
Australia sweats through hottest 12 months on record: official data
-
Livestock theft is central to jihadist economy in west Africa
-
South African artist champions hyenas in 'eco-queer' quest
-
Danish PM in 'unity' Greenland visit amid US takeover threats
-
Taiwan says US tariffs 'highly unreasonable'
-
Lawson says ruthless Red Bull axing was 'tough to hear'
-
Heat humble Celtics for sixth straight win, Thunder roll on
-
Trump escalates trade war with sweeping global tariffs
-
Japan says US tariffs 'extremely regrettable', may break WTO rules
-
South Koreans anxious, angry as court to rule on impeached president
-
Juve at in-form Roma with Champions League in the balance
-
Injuries put undermanned Bayern's title bid to the test
-
Ovechkin scores 892nd goal -- three away from Gretzky's NHL record
-
Australian former rugby star Petaia signs for NFL's Chargers
-
China says opposes new US tariffs, vows 'countermeasures'
-
Athletics world watching as 'Grand Slam Track' prepares for launch
-
Heat humble Celtics for sixth straight win, Cavs top Knicks

Spinal implant allows Parkinson's patient to walk again
A man with advanced Parkinson's disease is now able to walk almost normally again thanks to electrodes implanted in his spinal cord, researchers said on Monday.
The medical first was achieved by Swiss researchers who had previously pioneered similar breakthroughs to help paraplegic people walk again.
"This could be a game-changing technology to help restore movement in people with advanced Parkinson's," said David Dexter, research director at Parkinson's UK, emphasising that the procedure is invasive and more research was needed.
Marc, the 62-year-old patient who lives in France, has suffered from the debilitating brain disorder for about 30 years.
Like more than 90 percent of people with advanced Parkinson's, Marc has had great difficulty walking.
What are known as "freezing" episodes -- during which patients are temporarily unable to move, putting them at risk of falling -- are particularly "awful", Marc told AFP.
"If you have an obstacle or if someone passes in front of you unexpectedly, you start to 'freeze' and you fall," said Marc, who asked not to reveal his last name.
Much remains unknown about Parkinson's disease, making treatment difficult. But the symptoms can seriously affect the lives of patients, sometimes confining them to bed or a wheelchair.
When the opportunity arose to undergo surgery in Switzerland, Marc leapt at the chance.
- 'I can go do whatever I want' -
"Now I can walk from one point to another without worrying about how I'm going to get there," he said.
"I can go for a walk, go out shopping by myself -- I can go do whatever I want."
The Swiss team, led by surgeon Jocelyne Bloch and neuroscientist Gregoire Courtine, implanted a complex system of electrodes called a "neuroprosthesis" at crucial points along Marc's spinal cord.
The pair had previously introduced the use of spinal cord implants to enable paraplegic patients to walk again.
The latest research, published in the journal Nature Medicine, works roughly along the same principle.
For Marc and other Parkinson's patients, communication between the brain and the spinal cord has been impaired by the progressive disappearance of neurons which generate the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Therefore, the neuroprosthesis has to not only send electrical stimulation to prompt walking, but also assume the role of the brain by properly timing the stimulation, so the resulting movements correspond to the patient's wishes.
"The idea is that we are going to measure residual movements -- so, the intention to walk -- with small sensors which are located in the legs," Courtine told AFP.
"Thanks to this, we know if the person wants to oscillate or stop, and we can adjust the stimulation accordingly," said Courtine, a researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne.
- 'Major potential advance' -
The neuroprosthesis was first tested on primates, then implanted in Marc, who has used it for roughly eight hours a day over nearly two years.
Marc said he can now walk much more easily -- he is even planning a trip to Brazil -- but emphasised that it still requires concentration, particularly when climbing up stairs.
The Swiss team has expanded their experiment to a group of six Parkinson's patients, aiming to know how it could help others, given the disease affects people in different ways.
Treatment using the invasive implant could be quite expensive, potentially limiting how many patients would have access.
Bloch and Courtine have launched a startup called Onward looking at future marketing.
But even reaching this point represents "a major potential advance," Dexter said.
Y.Kobayashi--AMWN