Latest news with #paralysis
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Science
- News.com.au
Paralysed woman writes her name for the first time in 20 years after having Elon Musk Neuralink chip implant surgery
A woman paralysed since 2005 has written her name for the first time in two decades thanks to Elon Musk. Audrey Crews became the first woman in the world to undergo surgery earlier this month receiving Mr Musk's Neuralink chip implant, allowing her to control a computer with her mind. Ms Crews recently took to X to show the world how she was able to select a coloured cursor on screen and sign her name through telepathy. She showed off how she could also draw pictures, scroll with a mouse and use a keyboard just by thinking. 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it. Lol,' she said. 'I am the first woman in the world to do this.' Ms Crews was left a quadriplegic at age 16 following a car accident that left the vertebrae in her neck permanently damaged. By 2016, tech billionaire Musk co-founded Neuralink with expert in neuroscience in hopes of using AI tech to treat brain disorders. Three years later he revealed the N1 chip, which is placed on the brain to translate electrical signals into tasks. Ms Crews is just the ninth recipient. She underwent surgery at the University of Miami Health Centre where surgeons place over 100 threads, thinner than human hair into her motor cortex after drilling through her skull. The implant, roughly the size of a 10 cent coin, sends those signals to a linked computer or smartphone with Neuralink's software via Bluetooth, allowing patients with paralysis or neurological conditions to communicate digitally. 'Imagine your pointer finger is left click and the cursor is with your wrist, without physically doing it. Just a normal day using telepathy,' she said. Ms Crews has also started taking requests of what to draw next, recently sketching a cat, a sun and a tree after being asked by X users. She's also able to play simulation games testing her accuracy and speed by having her cursor track points on the screen as they change. Mr Musk even replied to a post about Ms Crews' story. 'She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realise this is possible,' he said. While the technology won't allow her to regain movement of her limbs, the advancement has so far impressed Ms Crews who hopes to make the most of it by writing a book about her experiences. The chip is powered by a small battery that charges wirelessly. Asked if she ever imagined being able to communicate in such a way again, Ms Crews had one response: 'Not in all my wildest dreams, but the future is here.'
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Genetic discovery gives hope to family of man paralysed by flu
The family of a man who was paralysed by flu as a young child have expressed "hope" as scientists have discovered a faulty gene may have been the Bingham, from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, was left paralysed after contracting a mild flu-like illness aged at the University of Manchester have discovered a change to a gene called RCC1 is behind such severe reactions to mild infections, and hope the finding could lead to a treatment."As children are well before they develop nerve damage following an infection, this gives us an opportunity to treat at-risk children before problems occur," said research team lead Prof Bill Newman. The researchers have described how the condition mimics Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare condition in which a person's immune system attacks the nerves – and has overlaps with motor neurone disease."The similarity with Guillain-Barre syndrome and with conditions like motor neuron disease may help us understand these more common conditions and why some people are at greater risk and what treatments may be effective," Prof Newman suspected the rare condition was genetic after an eight-month-old girl was left unable to breathe without the support of a ventilator after what would normally have been a mild chest girl's two brothers had also experienced severe problems following similar found 24 children from 12 families in nine countries had changes in the RCC1 gene. Timothy Bingham, 28, was first badly affected by the flu at the age of two but was able to largely recover.A second bout at age four badly affected his mobility and the dexterity in his arms but he was able to achieve 80% the age of six, Mr Bingham became fully paralysed under similar circumstances. He has used a wheelchair ever since and needs constant care.A connection was made between the infections and his reaction, and risks have been managed since."It's hard for him to chew and he can't drink unassisted," said Tim's mother Kate Bingham."He can't move in bed so needs turning throughout the night. The things we all take for granted he can't do." She added: "The discovery of a gene which is linked to what happened to Tim means everything to me."For so long we have lived with uncertainty of not knowing the full picture."This breakthrough brings us great hope as it will do to all those people who have waited years for answers."The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, LifeArc and the Wellcome Trust.
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors issue urgent warning over popular Botox treatment as they say women are taking 'ridiculous risks' and face paralysis, blindness and even death
Doctors have issued an urgent warning over a growing trend – driven by social media – for self-injecting the anti-wrinkle treatment Botox. Sounding the alarm, experts say that the practice risks serious allergic reactions, paralysis, long-lasting swelling and could even prove fatal.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Man, 80, suffering from paralysis is rescued after being left tied up and locked in a car in 30C heat while his family 'visited Taj Mahal'
An 80-year-old man suffering from paralysis was rescued after being found tied to a car seat and left locked inside a vehicle in extreme heat. Authorities believe the family left him behind while they visited the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, India, on Thursday. The man, identified as Hariom Tandale, had travelled from Mumbai to Agra in Uttar Pradesh with his relatives. Temperatures reached 30°C on the day of the incident, with humidity climbing above 90 per cent. According to police, Mr Tandale was left inside the car with the windows shut and no air circulation while it was parked in direct sunlight. No one was left behind to attend to him. Passers-by noticed the elderly man gasping for air and visibly distressed. He was found tied to the seat with a cloth, the seat reclined, and his body drenched in sweat. Witnesses said he was clearly in need of urgent help and looked parched. Passers by broke one of the vehicle's windows to take him out Keen to help, locals smashed a window to get into the vehicle and free him. Due to his limited mobility, they had to physically lift him out of the car. Onlookers offered him water and helped loosen the cloth restraints before calling emergency services. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sonam Kumar told news agency PTI: 'Siddheshwar Tandale, a resident of Mumbai, had come to visit the Taj Mahal with his family. 'His elderly father, Hariom Tandale, was taken out of the car after breaking the window.' Kumar added that an ambulance was dispatched, but Mr Tandale's condition improved shortly after he was removed from the vehicle. 'Currently, Siddheshwar Tandale has left with his elderly father,' the officer said. No formal complaint has been filed in the matter.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists unlock secret behind rare disease where flu can cause paralysis
The family of a man who was paralysed at the age of two after catching the flu have expressed their 'hope' as scientists have discovered that a faulty gene may be responsible for the rare condition. It is hoped that the finding could potentially one day lead to a treatment for the illness. When Timothy Bingham was two, he had a mild flu-like illness which left him unable to walk. Three years later following another infection, he was paralysed and has been in a wheelchair ever since. Kate Bingham, mother of Timothy, who is now 28, said: 'About 25 years ago Tim got a flu like infection and a temperature. 'What seemed like a minor illness had devastating consequences. 'The attack, and subsequent attacks – did terrible damage. First to his legs, then his arms, his face and his chest. 'And now he needs 24-hour care. His diaphragm barely works at all so he can't cough. 'It's hard for him to chew and he can't drink unassisted. He can't move in bed so needs turning throughout the night. The things we all take for granted he can't do.' The rare condition was spotted again in 2011 when an unnamed eight-month-old girl was left unable to breathe on her own without the support of a ventilator after a mild chest infection. Scientists suspected that there could be a genetic reason behind the condition after the girl's two brothers had experienced similar severe problems following mild infections. Now scientists at the University of Manchester have found a genetic mechanism behind the severe reactions to mild infections seen among these children – a change to a gene called RCC1. Researchers found that 24 children from 12 families from the UK, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Germany, Iran, India, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, and Slovakia have been found to have changes in the same gene. Writing in the journal Lancet Neurology, the research team describe how the condition 'mimics' Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare condition in which a person's immune system attacks the nerves – and 'overlaps mechanistically' with motor neurone disease. The research team, led by Professor Bill Newman from the University of Manchester, said that their study reveals that 'variants in RCC1 as a novel cause of neurological disease.' 'Until this study, little was known about why some people experience severe nerve damage after they have had a mild infection like flu or a stomach upset,' Professor Newman said. 'This work provides families with an explanation and is the first step in us developing an effective treatment. As children are well before they develop nerve damage following an infection, this gives us an opportunity to treat at risk children before problems occur. 'The similarity with Guillain-Barre syndrome and with conditions like motor neuron disease may help us understand these more common conditions and why some people are at greater risk and what treatments may be effective.' Mrs Bingham from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, said: 'As Tim's mum the discovery of a gene which is linked to what happened to Tim means everything to me. 'For so long we have lived with uncertainty of not knowing the full picture. 'This breakthrough brings us great hope as it will do to all those people who have waited years for answers. This is something that helps us look to the future.' She added: 'I'm proud of how strong Tim has been. 'He now has a girlfriend he met online who is wonderful. 'He proves there is life beyond disability.' The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, LifeArc and the Wellcome Trust. Sam Barrell, chief executive of LifeArc, said, 'For many people living with rare conditions, the wait for a diagnosis can be agonisingly long – around a third wait more than five years. 'In Timothy's case, that uncertainty stretched for over twenty years. 'This discovery provides a potential target for treatment and the first step towards delivering a brighter future for people that could be living with this same devastating condition.'
