Electrodes Partially Restore Movement, Sensation In Spinal Cord Patients

Electrical stimulation above and below spinal cord injury site enables some motor control and sensory feedback.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 7:00pm

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Researchers have developed a system using implanted electrodes that can partially restore movement and sensation in people with complete spinal cord injuries. The electrical stimulation above and below the injury site enables patients to regain some control over leg muscles and experience sensations that they associate with the movement of their legs, even though the sensations are felt in other parts of the body.

Why it matters

Restoring both motor control and sensory feedback is crucial for enabling spinal cord injury patients to regain functional independence and coordinated movements. This research represents an important step toward that goal by demonstrating the feasibility of this approach.

The details

The researchers implanted electrodes above and below the site of spinal cord damage in three patients who had lost the use of their legs. Stimulation below the injury partially restored muscle control of the legs, while stimulation above the site enabled patients to 'feel' where their legs were located in space as they walked. Patients used a 'DJ board' to fine-tune the stimulation patterns, and the researchers then used machine learning to optimize the stimulation. The sensory feedback, while not exact, allowed patients to accurately report the angle of their legs even when blindfolded.

  • The study was published on March 12, 2026.

The players

David Borton

An associate professor of engineering at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and the senior researcher on the study.

Jared Fridley

The chief of spinal neurosurgery at the University of Texas at Austin and a researcher on the study.

Jonathan Calvert

An assistant professor of neurological surgery at the University of California-Davis and the lead researcher on the study.

Lakshmi Narasimhan Govindarajan

A postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who worked on using machine learning to optimize the stimulation patterns.

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What they’re saying

“This is the first time that simultaneous motor stimulation and sensory feedback have been demonstrated in people with complete spinal cord injuries. This is an important step toward the goal of fully bridging the gap created by a spinal lesion.”

— David Borton, Associate Professor of Engineering, Brown University (News Release)

“By simultaneously restoring motor activation and meaningful sensory feedback, we're moving beyond isolated function toward coordinated, purposeful movement. That's a critical step if neurotechnology is going to translate into real-world independence for people living with severe spinal cord injury.”

— Jared Fridley, Chief of Spinal Neurosurgery, University of Texas at Austin (News Release)

“Participants told us that using the DJ board was actually a lot of fun. We gave them target leg positions and poses and they navigated the board until they found the correct stimulation patterns to achieve that pose. They really enjoyed being able to see their legs move again and having their own control through the interface.”

— Jonathan Calvert, Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of California-Davis (News Release)

“Machine learning provides an opportunity to more efficiently search and personalize stimulation patterns so they more precisely matched the muscle activity we were aiming for in each participant.”

— Lakshmi Narasimhan Govindarajan, Postdoctoral Researcher, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (News Release)

What’s next

The team next plans to recruit more patients for a longer-term study testing this stimulation approach outside the hospital.

The takeaway

This research represents a significant advancement in the use of neurotechnology to help restore function and independence for people living with severe spinal cord injuries. By simultaneously restoring both motor control and sensory feedback, the researchers have taken an important step toward the goal of enabling coordinated, purposeful movement for these patients.