Researchers from the University Hospital of Lausanne and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) have discovered that the hypothalamus is involved in motor functions. The finding was confirmed in a trial in which two patients with spinal cord injuries regained the ability to walk.
The hypothalamus weighs about five grams, is located in the deepest area of the brain and represents 0.3% of the total brain volume. It regulates basic processes such as body temperature, heart rate and sensations of thirst or hunger. Until now, its influence on the musculoskeletal system was unknown.
Gregoire Courtine, a neuroscientist at ETH, and Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at the University Hospital of Lausanne, have for years studied the functional links between the brain and the spinal cord, as well as the damage related to the interruption of this connection. One of his most ambitious works involves mapping brain activity after spinal cord injury. To do this, they took images of the brains of rats with partial damage to the spine at the level of the back. In this type of injury, the brain tends to adjust to try to get the body to respond to nervous stimuli again. If there is a residual connection between the spinal cord and the central nervous system, recovery of mobility is possible.
The scientists observed that rodents with these characteristics managed to restore some control over their hind legs. They identified that during the process the lateral hypothalamus showed great activity, especially around a set of neurons that control the neurotransmitter known as glutamate.
The team decided deepen the study of these hypothalamic neurons related to the restoration of locomotion. He used a technique known as deep brain stimulation, which involves placing electrodes over specific parts of the brain. The electrical charges allowed crippled rats and mice to regain walking. The proposal was successfully tested in two human patients.
Bloch shares that patients began to feel their legs and experienced an urge to walk after the first electrical impulse. “This real-time feedback confirmed that we had targeted the correct region, even though this area had never been associated with limb control in people. At that moment, I knew that we were witnessing an important discovery for the anatomical organization of brain functions,” added the scientist.
The improvement was maintained once the treatment was completed. The authors clarify that the therapy is only effective in treating incomplete spinal fractures, since it requires existing connections between the brain and spinal cord for stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus to be effective. “This research shows that the brain is essential for recovering from paralysis. The organ does not make full use of the neuronal projections that survive after an injury. “Here we have discovered how to harness a small brain region, not known to be involved in mobility, to activate these residual connections and optimize neurological recovery,” Courtine said.
The specialists plan to expand their research with a larger group of people. In the next phase, they intend to combine their approach with spinal implants and evaluate the long-term effects. “This integration will offer a more comprehensive recovery strategy for patients with partial spinal cord injuries.”
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