A skeleton of the outside may aid mobility

Di Russo F, Berchicci M, Perri RL, Ripani FR, Ripani M.
A passive exoskeleton can push your life up: application on multiple sclerosis patients. PLoS One. 2013 Oct 25;8(10):e77348. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077348


In the present study, we report the benefits of a passive and fully articulated exoskeleton on multiple sclerosis patients by means of behavioral and electrophysiological measures, paying particular attention to the prefrontal cortex activity. Multiple sclerosis is a neurological condition characterized by lesions of the myelin sheaths that encapsulate the neurons of the brain, spine and optic nerve, and it causes transient or progressive symptoms and impairments in gait and posture. Up to 50% of multiple sclerosis patients require walking aids and 10% are wheelchair-bound 15 years following the initial diagnosis. We tested the ability of a new orthosis, the "Human Body Posturizer", designed to improve the structural and functional symmetry of the body through proprioception ( the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body) and strength of effort being employed in movement), in multiple sclerosis patients. We observed that a single Human Body Posturizer application improved mobility, ambulation and response accuracy, in all of the tested patients. Most importantly, we associated these clinical observations and behavioral effects to changes in brain activity, particularly in the prefrontal cortex.

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