{"id":1632,"date":"2024-02-29T15:20:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T15:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/29\/this-als-patient-has-a-brain-implant-that-translates-his-thoughts-to-computer-commands\/"},"modified":"2024-02-29T15:20:02","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T15:20:02","slug":"this-als-patient-has-a-brain-implant-that-translates-his-thoughts-to-computer-commands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/29\/this-als-patient-has-a-brain-implant-that-translates-his-thoughts-to-computer-commands\/","title":{"rendered":"This ALS patient has a brain implant that translates his thoughts to computer commands"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clt5v6vo700003b6hdlzjpgzw@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            <em>You can watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta\u2019s full report, plus his answers to your questions about this, on Erin Burnett OutFront tonight at 7pmET.<\/em>    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvfx2r000jxpp32gnmh796@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Staring at a computer screen, Mark focuses deeply, his\u202farms resting by his side. His right index finger trembles ever so slightly on top of a pillow, and then an alert rings out from the screen in front of him, a message to a caregiver that he needs assistance.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvgnj600053b6hx3slk0vn@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Mark is only the 10th person in the world implanted with this particular type of brain-computer interface, or BCI. He\u2019s participating in a human trial with a company called Synchron and underwent the procedure in August, after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis \u2013 sometimes called ALS or Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease \u2013 in 2021.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvgnj600073b6h21z1rmf5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Excitement around the potential for BCI technology has mounted over the past year, propelled in part by high-profile support from billionaire Elon Musk via his company Neuralink, as well as the recent publication of several promising studies from other players in the growing field.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvgnj600083b6hnpz0so9y@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            But the technology is far from mainstream, and efforts to commercialize it remain fraught with regulatory hurdles, ethics and privacy concerns. And the emerging technology itself faces numerous limitations. In other words, these procedures won\u2019t be coming to your local doctor\u2019s office anytime soon.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvgnj600093b6h73w8lj83@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Still, Mark says the opportunity to be at the forefront of testing this technology that could help others was important to him. Knowing that there is no cure for ALS, Mark says, signing up for the trial felt like a \u201cno-brainer\u201d to him.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvgnj6000a3b6hf80ec51u@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cI figured I had two choices: I could wallow in self-pity, or I could pick myself up by the bootstraps and do what I could to help,\u201d Mark said.    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/clslvheqc000j3b6h8cmrb2vj@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"creating-a-dictionary-of-the-mind\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">    Creating a dictionary of the mind<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvh4xu000h3b6hxaec5wye@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Relaxed and dressed in a light teal sweater, Mark offers no obvious physical indications that he has a BCI. He says he doesn\u2019t notice it, either.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000m3b6hufbzc2jg@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Mark has two small scars, one on his right chest and one on his neck, but  no other visible indicators of a BCI.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000n3b6hy47yldhb@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Synchron\u2019s brain implant, the one Mark has, is called a Stentrode and consists of a stent with electrode sensors that can detect electrical brain activity. Synchron patented the Stentrode, and the company was the first to receive approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to begin human trials for permanently implantable BCIs.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/interactive-video\/instances\/clt4mwwvr00083b6hnfux0wi9@published\" class=\"interactive-video\" data-component-name=\"interactive-video\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"interactive-video__container \">            <video class=\"interactive-video__player\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"\" playsinline=\"\"><\/video>        <\/div>\n<div class=\"interactive-video__metadata\">\n<div class=\"interactive-video__caption\">                <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">Dr. Tom Oxley, CEO of Synchron, teaches CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta how to implant his company\u2019s brain-computer interface, known as a Stentrode.<\/span><figcaption class=\"interactive-video__credit\">CNN<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000o3b6hc2duz775@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Like a normal stent, it doesn\u2019t require open brain surgery. Instead, it\u2019s able to travel through the body\u2019s natural network of veins, so the entry point was Mark\u2019s jugular vein.\u202fHis surgeon threaded the device through the blood vessels all the way to the top of his brain, where it sits in the sagittal sinus, one of the brain\u2019s main veins, cradled in the motor cortex, the part of the brain responsible for movement.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000p3b6hgtobm8bm@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Whether it\u2019s shaking hands or taking a step, every action a person does is associated with a specific electrical signature from their brainwaves. The Stentrode learns to recognize those electrical patterns and creates a personalized dictionary of movement.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000q3b6hi9y2imew@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            There may be a general electrical signature for different movements, but each person\u2019s will vary slightly, making the device highly personalized.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000r3b6hwjq4lymn@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            When Mark thinks about a certain movement, like clicking somewhere on a computer screen, the Stentrode reads that brain signal and recognizes the intended movement. Then that message travels via a very thin cable to an internal transmitter, similar to a pacemaker, that was surgically implanted in his chest.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000s3b6h1tdny63y@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            So much data travels from Mark\u2019s brain to the transmitter that it has to be wired to a computer.\u00a0That external transmitter sits right above the internal transmitter and carries the signal from Mark\u2019s brain to the computer almost instantaneously. At the moment, Mark has to be wired to the computer to use the device.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvhz6w000t3b6hf8t2u2au@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            However, the goal is that the next-generation devices will eventually have a wireless process, so a patient would need only the Stentrode<strong> <\/strong>and the transmitter inside the chest.    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/clslvi29i000v3b6h4q6llc8m@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"coming-to-terms-with-an-als-diagnosis\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">    Coming to terms with an ALS diagnosis<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvgpq7000d3b6h8g8wsrk3@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Mark first noticed that something wasn\u2019t quite right in 2020. He couldn\u2019t snap his fingers or make a pinching motion with his left hand; he also noticed some visible muscle atrophy.\u00a0\u201cAnd then I dropped a cup of coffee,\u201d he recalls.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh000x3b6hgu86uidj@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            At age 63, Mark\u2019s diagnosis was official: He had ALS, a disease with which most people are only expected to live three to five years after symptoms develop.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh000y3b6h901d3wx7@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cIt was a hard pill to swallow,\u201d he admits. \u201cI still consider myself young.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh000z3b6hoeaksbzc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            He had a job he loved and was going to retire soon. He also has a family, including two daughters and one granddaughter.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00103b6hm7rhs0qe@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Despite the diagnosis and weakness in his arm, Mark continued to work at his job at a wholesale floral company. Lifting buckets of water and boxes of flowers, however, soon became too difficult. Then driving became difficult. By December 2022, he stopped driving altogether.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00113b6hhpbfa9x6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            There was an emotional toll to ALS too as Mark started to lose his independence. \u201cI lived alone for 13 years, so I was used to doing everything by myself,\u201d he said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00123b6hbnvwpc8l@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            He eventually moved in with his brother and his brother\u2019s family. Today, his voice is strong, and he can still walk, but he says he has to use a foot-controlled feeder to eat because of the loss of strength in his arms.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00133b6hy5fgyqdp@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Mark is still able to make some very limited movements with his hands, but he\u2019s lost most of the dexterity in his fingers \u2013 meaning he can\u2019t pick up a pencil or scroll on his phone. Mark hopes the BCI can help him with tasks like accessing his phone.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00143b6hh6q275k7@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            But Mark didn\u2019t lose hope that he could still find a way to help others. He enrolled in a drug trial, and when that ended, he immediately asked his doctor what else he could do that was \u201cnew and exciting.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00153b6hjdi3dyad@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            That\u2019s when he found himself in this feasibility trial with Synchron and the BCI.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00163b6hixmopcra@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            After his device was implanted in August, his ability to use his BCI wasn\u2019t immediate, something that frustrated him. It took about two months for his recovery, including waiting for the swelling from the pacemaker-like device to go down, before the Synchron team could even turn the implant on. But he remembers the first time it did work.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00173b6hg4a1x62q@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThere was a few cheers,\u201d he recalls. \u201cWe\u2019d been trying and trying, and it was not working so good, and then it finally worked.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00183b6h378ai3bk@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            For the past three months, Mark has been working with Maria Nardozzi, an occupational therapist from Synchron. As he masters each task, he builds up that dictionary of movement that the device uses to read his brainwaves and translate them into actions on the computer. So far, Mark has mastered a program that allows him to send a health notification or a pain report to his provider if needed. His immediate goals are to be able to control his Alexa and turn on Netflix, as well as to learn how to text.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh00193b6hkc70tkqq@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cText messaging is a really critical element of how we communicate with our family and friends now,\u201d said Stentrode developer Dr. Tom Oxley, the CEO of Synchron. \u201cSo that\u2019s usually what people mostly want back.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh001a3b6h896zi934@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Oxley said he has seen some patients with stentrodes able to type between five and 10 words per minute already, a notable achievement if you consider that most people can text between five and 20 words per minute.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/interactive-video\/instances\/clt4mv1q000013b6h5h6j2d16@published\" class=\"interactive-video\" data-component-name=\"interactive-video\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"interactive-video__container \">            <video class=\"interactive-video__player\" loop=\"\" muted=\"\" autoplay=\"\" playsinline=\"\"><\/video>        <\/div>\n<div class=\"interactive-video__metadata\">\n<div class=\"interactive-video__caption\">                <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">Mark practices using his brain-computer interface by playing a Pong-like table tennis video game. He is able to move the paddle up and down with his thoughts.<\/span><figcaption class=\"interactive-video__credit\">CNN<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh001b3b6hokezom40@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Mark has also used the device to play a \u201cPong\u201d-like table tennis video game. He describes the feeling of using the device as his brainwaves\u00a0contracting and then relaxing. Each move he wants to make on the computer has a focused, intentional thought. If he doesn\u2019t want the bar to move, he must relax.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh001c3b6hvgf6foil@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The process of training the device takes patience, Mark said, but he\u2019s excited to help his doctors and the Synchron team learn along with him.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslviqzh001d3b6hfauz5qfc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cSometimes it doesn\u2019t work like we want,\u201d he said. \u201cPart of being involved in a study is we\u2019re here to learn, we\u2019re here to further the technology.\u201d    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/clslviuw4001f3b6h4x5uml23@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"the-rise-and-race-for-bci-technology\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">    The rise and race for BCI technology<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvh1b2000f3b6h6i62znyb@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Although still far from mainstream, the potential of BCI technology has spurred the emergence of a handful of companies racing to develop this futuristic health tech.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvjg2n001h3b6he783wcf6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Two separate studies published in the journal Nature in August showed how brain implants using artificial intelligence technology empowered paralyzed patients to communicate by translating neural signals into text or speech via an avatar at a speed not previously achieved by this type of technology.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvjg2n001i3b6hhohpb9zb@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            And investors are showing strong appetite for the neurotech startups and companies working in the BCI arena. Synchron has raised about $145 million since its inception, the company said in a statement in December 2022. Musk\u2019s Neuralink has raised more than $323 million, according to a regulatory filing last year with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvjg2n001k3b6hmzw2st0p@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Ultimately, Oxley added, \u201ccompetition is good.\u201d As a result, he said, we will probably see many \u201cdifferent types of technologies come through for different use cases.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvjg2n001l3b6hr58emt8h@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            As the race to commercialize BCI heats up, policymakers are taking notice. A United Nations body convened a conference with politicians and stakeholders in July at UNESCO\u2019s Paris headquarters to discuss the ethics of the emerging neurotechnology. The conference concluded with calls for a comprehensive framework to harness the potential and address the risks.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvjg2n001m3b6h2xrvg78b@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cNeurotechnology is advancing at warp speed,\u201d Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, said at the event. \u201cThis progress is a cause for celebration \u2013 and a reason for caution. We must safeguard ethical standards and ensure the full protection of human rights.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvjg2n001n3b6h6e2yeuf4@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Musk\u2019s involvement has fueled controversy. The billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX has made bold claims about BCI\u2019s potential to solve a range of complex problems. Neuralink made international headlines this year when Musk said in a post on X that the company had implanted a chip in a human brain \u2013 though he did not share many other details.\u00a0Earlier this month, Musk also said Neuralink\u2019s first human trial participant\u00a0can control a computer mouse\u00a0with their brain.\u00a0Neuralink received FDA clearance for human clinical trials in May.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvjg2n001o3b6hqxx1ckqo@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Neuralink came under fire in 2022 for its treatment of monkeys during testing. The company acknowledged that a monkey died during an attempt to get the animal to play a video game like \u201cPong.\u201d Current and former employees of Neuralink at the time accused the company of rushing to market, according to Reuters, resulting in careless animal deaths.    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/clslvlubg00233b6h5sfpa9io@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"hope-for-the-future-and-a-chance-for-a-full-life-now\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">    Hope for the future and a chance for a full life now<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvlmzd001v3b6h1vcwnu6h@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            There are still a lot of things Mark can do on his own. He can walk and speak and retains some movement in his limbs. But in the few years since his ALS diagnosis, Mark says, he has already noticed a loss in dexterity.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvlp3w001x3b6hlkjdu3sj@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The BCI provides Mark with hope that he can make a difference for other people in the future and a chance to continue living a full life now.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvlp3w001y3b6hdfq4qxuk@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            If he wants to access Audible, his favorite app, he has to have someone lay his phone flat in front of him so he can select the app. He hopes that eventually, his implant can help him have easier access to his audiobooks and help with other daily tasks, even control his robotic feeder, which he currently powers with his foot.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvlp3w001z3b6hxul5wjd5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThis, to me, is an opportunity to be able to do those tasks without the use of my arm,\u201d he said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvlp3w00203b6h6q2rj6o1@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Ultimately, Mark said, he hopes that his involvement in this study will also provide hope for others. He said this was his main reason for participating in the trial.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/clslvlp3w00213b6hnclkqkpk@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity to maybe help myself,\u201d Mark said. \u201cBut more importantly, I think, to help other individuals.\u201d    <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div>This post appeared first on cnn.com<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You can watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta\u2019s full report, plus his answers to your questions about&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1633,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1632\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}