Robot treadmill helps spinal cord patients

DALLAS, Nov 29, 2005 (UPI via COMTEX) -- University of Texas researchers say people suffering partial paralysis from spinal-cord injuries might benefit from training on a robotic treadmill.

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center scientists said patients showed increased activity in the part of their brain responsible for muscle movement and motor learning following 12 weeks of training.

The study is the first to demonstrate locomotor training can promote activation in the parts of the brain involved in walking, said lead author Dr. Patricia Winchester, chairwoman of physical therapy at UT Southwestern Allied Health Sciences School.

Additionally, she said a diagnostic technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging might be useful in predicting which individuals will benefit from a particular intervention.

The Lokomat treadmill supports a patient's weight while robotic devices control limb movements. During training, the patient watches his or her progress on a real-time computer monitor that provides sensory information to the spinal cord and brain, signaling the body to step again, researchers said.

The study appears in the December issue of the journal Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair.

URL: www.upi.com