Paralysing monkeys in research raises ethical quandary
While the technology spells a new future for people with spinal cord injuries, there are some ethical niggles, writes Sarah Wild
Scientists have made paralysed monkeys walk. To be fair, it is more a progression than a giant leap: the researchers started with rats and have been working their way up. But the reality is that in a few years, they could be doing this to humans. It all starts in the brain: when we (and other mammals for that matter) want to move, our brain sparks. This electrical impulse moves through our brains and travels down our spinal cord to the area we want to move, and a cascade of electrochemical reactions are transformed into physical movement. The Rhesus monkeys’ spinal cords were damaged, so — similar to spinal injuries in humans — the electrical impulses could not travel down to their legs. The researchers, based at the Centre for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, inserted a neural interface in the monkeys’ brains and another implant in their lower backs. "We developed a brain-spinal interface that decodes motor intention," says res...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.