What is neurorestoration?

The brain is the command center of the human body—controlling and coordinating every action, reaction, thought, memory, feeling, and function. Neurorestoration focuses on restoring, promoting, or maintaining the integrity of neurological functions by neurorestorative strategies, including physical (electronic or magnetic), chemical (medicine or factors), biological (cell therapy, molecule, bioengineering, and tissue engineering), technological (wearables, implantables, and assistive devices), surgical, and other interventions focused on the brain.

Why does it matter?

Neurorestoration holds the promise and potential to provide patients affected by life-altering neurological conditions with the independence, function, and higher quality of life that they deserve. By leveraging advances in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), wearables, implantable technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), stem cells, rehabilitation medicine, neurosurgery, and outcome measurements, we can develop new treatments to make this possible. 

Why here, why now?

In Philadelphia, the stroke rate is 20 times the national average. That means approximately 60,000 of the 785,000 cases of stroke reported nationally happen in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania is also home to one of the nation’s oldest populations, who are at the highest risk for fall-related traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries as well as neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, peripheral neuropathy, and ALS.

While conditions like these are considered irreversible, great strides and promising advances have been made in neurorestoration, particularly in the BCI field. Rapid advances in smart devices, wearable and implantable technologies, AI, and medtech are creating unprecedented opportunities for individuals to overcome the functional limitations caused by a neurological condition and to have greater control of the world around them.

As a result of this positive momentum, we have now reached a stage where the research breakthroughs of the past 20 years can be translated into real- world solutions for these patient populations, and many more.

The Raphael Center for Neurorestoration is doing just that. 

The FREEDOM™ platform is a data-mapping research tool that is able to take in multiple parallel streams of real-time data from sensors worn on the body, implanted in the body, or in the environment. The system can then provide an output for our clinical research that matches sensor data to a triggering moment in the body, such as motion, a gentle electrical current, temperature changes, displayed images, or played sounds.

The platform can be adapted to help restore motor function, relieve pain, and improve cognitive function.

With many stem cell treatments, a critical step involves getting the differentiated cells to the areas needing repair, and a barrier surrounding the brain makes the challenge particularly daunting in neurological cases.

Dr. Lorraine Iacovitti’s lab, for the first time in the world, accomplished this seemingly impossible task by coaxing the barrier open wide enough to allow a stem cell to pass and then closing it with no permanent damage. The ramifications for treatment are profound, paving the way for novel approaches to helping damaged brain cells to heal and rebuild.

The NuroSleeve is a wearable system that is a hybrid of a powered orthosis (brace or exoskeleton that has motors to help body parts move, like opening the hand), and electrical simulators (to alter sensation or induce muscle contraction to help movement).

A clinical trial will test the novel sleeve in 10 adults and 10 children, starting with one child and one adult at first. Participants may have arm weakness or paralysis due to conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, ALS, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy.