Invisible consequences of paralysis

Neuroprosthetic technologies can control blood pressure and restore walking Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) demonstrate remarkable optimism, despite losing their ability to move, feel, and control many essential bodily functions. Since I started pursuing my MD/PhD in 2015, I have been passionate about the possibility of developing new therapies to improve the lives of people with SCI. I quickly learned that much of the research on SCI focuses on the restoration of movement and sensation. However, my advisers made me more aware of some less-appreciated symptoms of SCI that result from the disruption of the autonomic nervous system and have profound health consequences. These symptoms are invisible, and we often do not realize how much they affect the quality of life of people with SCI.