Purdue University and Indiana University are about to embark on an experiment that, until a few years ago, would have been tackled only in a science-fiction novel. In November, the two institutions announced that they were planning the first human trials to see if weak electrical charges can regenerate nerve fibers in injured spinal cords. The technique, which uses an implantable device developed at the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine, has already helped dogs suffering paralysis regain some functions, and the researchers hope for the same results in humans.
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