Disability News

July 26, 2024

Top Headlines

'Dancing Molecules' Heal Cartilage Damage

July 26, 2024 — New therapy uses synthetic nanofibers to mimic the natural signaling of a protein that is crucial for cartilage formation and maintenance. Researchers found that intensifying the motion of molecules within the nanofibers led to more components ...

With Gene Editing, Mice With a Form of Inherited Deafness Can Hear Again

July 12, 2024 — Researchers have used gene editing to restore hearing in adult mice with a type of inherited hearing loss. They showed that shutting down a damaged copy of a gene called a microRNA (miRNA) enabled the animals to regain hearing. The approach may ...

Engineers' Probe Could Help Advance Treatment for Spinal Cord Disease, Injury

July 11, 2024 — Neuroscientists have used a nanosized sensor to record spinal cord neurons in free-moving mice, a feat that could lead to the development of better treatments for spinal cord disease and ...

New Target in Critical Pain-Regulating Brain Region

July 11, 2024 — A new study has found that prolonged nerve injury (in an experimental model of chronic pain) reduces the expression of the transcription factor, Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2C (MEF2C) in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region that regulates emotion, ...

Latest Headlines

updated 9:52pm EDT

New Ways to Study Spinal Cord Malformations in Embryos

July 12, 2024 — Scientists have successfully created mechanical force sensors directly in the developing brains and spinal cords of chicken embryos, which they hope will improve understanding and prevention of birth ...

A New Material Derived from Graphene Improves the Performance of Neuroprostheses

July 10, 2024 — Neuroprostheses allow the nervous system of a patient who has suffered an injury to connect with mechanical devices that replace paralyzed or ...

Novel Genome Editing Approach Restores Hearing in Adult Preclinical Models With Genetic Deafness

July 10, 2024 — Researchers restored hearing in preclinical mouse models with a specific form of inherited deafness called DFNA50 caused by mutations in microRNA, by ...

Implantable Microphone Could Lead to Fully Internal Cochlear Implants

July 2, 2024 — Researchers developed a prototype of an implantable microphone for a cochlear implant. Their device, which senses the movement of the ear drum in the inner ear, performed as well as commercial ...

Chemo Drug May Cause Significant Hearing Loss in Longtime Cancer Survivors

June 28, 2024 — A new study tracked a cohort of testicular cancer survivors who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy for an average of 14 years, revealing that 78% experience significant difficulties in everyday ...

A Prosthesis Driven by the Nervous System Helps People With Amputation Walk Naturally

July 1, 2024 — With a new surgical intervention and neuroprosthetic interface, researchers restored a natural walking gait in people with amputations below the ...

Creating Supranormal Hearing in Mice

June 28, 2024 — A new study has produced supranormal hearing in mice, while also supporting a hypothesis on the cause of hidden hearing loss in ...

ChatGPT Is Biased Against Resumes With Credentials That Imply a Disability -- But It Can Improve

June 21, 2024 — Researchers found that ChatGPT consistently ranked resumes with disability-related honors and credentials -- such as the 'Tom Wilson Disability ...

Tabulae Paralytica: Mapping the Biology of Spinal Cord Injury in Unprecedented Detail

June 19, 2024 — Scientists have achieved a significant research milestone in the field of spinal cord injuries -- mapping out the cellular and molecular dynamics of ...

Mouse Study Identifies Unique Approach for Preventing Life-Threatening Complications After Spinal Cord Injury

June 12, 2024 — A new study identifies a druggable cellular target that, if controlled properly, could prevent or lessen autonomic dysfunction and improve quality of ...

Trauma Medical Home: New Coordinated Care Model for Injured Older Adults

July 10, 2024 — Older adults who suffer serious injuries from a fall or a motor vehicle accident often have impaired long-term functioning and diminished quality of life. A new study has found the new Trauma Medical ...

AI-Powered Simulation Training Improves Human Performance in Robotic Exoskeletons

June 12, 2024 — Researchers have demonstrated a new method that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and computer simulations to train robotic exoskeletons to autonomously help users save energy while walking, ...

People Feel More Connected to 'Tweezer-Like' Bionic Tools That Don't Resemble Human Hands

June 6, 2024 — Some say the next step in human evolution will be the integration of technology with flesh. Now, researchers have used virtual reality to test whether humans can feel embodiment -- the sense that ...

Omega-3 Therapy Prevents Birth-Related Brain Injury in Newborn Rodents

June 6, 2024 — A novel omega-3 injectable emulsion reduces brain damage in newborn rodents experiencing lack of oxygen at delivery, a major cause of disability in human infants and ...

New Gene Therapy Trial Shows Restored Hearing and Speech in Children Born Deaf, Treated in Both Ears

June 5, 2024 — A new clinical trial of five children with inherited deafness found administering gene therapy in both ears led to restored hearing and speech, and additional gains including sound source ...

Scientists Learn How to Control Muscles With Light

May 22, 2024 — Researchers developed a way to help people with amputation or paralysis regain limb control. Their optogenetic technique could offer more precise control over muscle contraction, along with a ...

Robots' and Prosthetic Hands' Sense of Touch Could Be as Fast as Humans

May 15, 2024 — Research could pave the way for a prosthetic hand and robot to be able to feel touch like a human hand. The technology could also be used to help restore lost functionality to patients after a ...

Robotic System Feeds People With Severe Mobility Limitations

May 9, 2024 — Researchers have developed a robotic feeding system that uses computer vision, machine learning and multimodal sensing to safely feed people with severe mobility limitations, including those with ...

'Wraparound' Implants Represent New Approach to Treating Spinal Cord Injuries

May 8, 2024 — A tiny, flexible electronic device that wraps around the spinal cord could represent a new approach to the treatment of spinal injuries, which can cause profound disability and paralysis. A team of ...

Why Getting in Touch With Our 'Gerbil Brain' Could Help Machines Listen Better

May 7, 2024 — Researchers have debunked a 75-year-old theory about how humans determine where sounds are coming from, and it could unlock the secret to creating a next generation of more adaptable and efficient ...

After Spinal Cord Injury, Neurons Wreak Havoc on Metabolism

Apr. 24, 2024 — Conditions such as diabetes, heart attack and vascular diseases commonly diagnosed in people with spinal cord injuries can be traced to abnormal post-injury neuronal activity that causes abdominal ...

Brainless Memory Makes the Spinal Cord Smarter Than Previously Thought

Apr. 11, 2024 — Researchers have discovered the neural circuitry in the spinal cord that allows brain-independent motor learning. The study found two critical groups of spinal cord neurons, one necessary for new ...

Universal Brain-Computer Interface Lets People Play Games With Just Their Thoughts

Apr. 1, 2024 — Engineers have created a brain-computer interface that doesn't require calibration for each user, paving the way for widespread clinical ...

Discovery Has Potential to Solve the Billion-Dollar Global Cost of Poorly Managed Wound Healing

Mar. 27, 2024 — Scientists have uncovered a key step in the wound healing process that becomes disabled in diseases like diabetes and aging, contributing to a global healthcare cost of managing poorly healing wounds ...

Cellular Architecture of Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis Now Mapped out

Mar. 20, 2024 — Using advanced methodology, scientists have been able to reveal at the cellular level how lesions in multiple sclerosis ...

Doctors Can Now Watch Spinal Cord Activity During Surgery

Mar. 7, 2024 — Scientists can make high resolution images of the human spinal cord during surgery. The advancement could help bring real relief to millions suffering chronic back ...

Factors Associated With Age-Related Hearing Loss Differ Between Males and Females

Mar. 6, 2024 — Certain factors associated with developing age-related hearing loss differ by sex, including weight, smoking behavior, and hormone exposure, according to a new ...

New Dressing Robot Can 'Mimic' the Actions of Care-Workers

Mar. 4, 2024 — Scientists have developed a new robot that can 'mimic' the two-handed movements of care-workers as they dress an ...

Visual Prosthesis Simulator Offers a Glimpse Into the Future

Feb. 27, 2024 — Researchers have developed a simulator that enables artificial visual observations for research into the visual prosthesis. This open source tool is available to researchers and offers those who are ...

Human Stem Cells Coaxed to Mimic the Very Early Central Nervous System

Feb. 26, 2024 — The first stem cell culture method that produces a full model of the early stages of the human central nervous system has been developed by a team of engineers and ...