Iziguli ze-ALS zingakwazi ukuxhumana nemicabango yazo

I-Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) yisifo esibonakala ngokulimala kwamangqamuzana ezinzwa, okuholela ekulahlekelweni kokulawula umzimba womuntu. Lokhu kushiya iziguli eziningi zikhubazekile futhi zingakwazi ukukhuluma. Iziguli eziningi ze-ALS zithembele emishinini yokulandelela iso ukuze zixhumane nabanye. Kodwa-ke, lezi zinhlelo azisebenzi kakhulu njengoba zidinga ukulungiswa kabusha kwansuku zonke ngonjiniyela. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, 1 ngaphandle kwe-3 Iziguli ze-ALS zizogcina zilahlekelwe amandla okulawula ukunyakaza kwamehlo, zenze lolu hlobo lwamadivayisi lungabi namsebenzi futhi lushiye iziguli "zivaliwe".

Ubuchwepheshe obuqhubekayo

Konke lokhu kwashintsha UHanneke De Bruijne, owesifazane oneminyaka engu-58 ubudala owayekade engudokotela wezokwelapha zangaphakathi eNetherlands. Watholwa ene-ALS ngo-2008, njengabanye abaningi abanalesi sifo, u-De Bruijne phambilini wayethembele kula mathuluzi okulandelela iso kodwa uhlelo lwakhe olusha lwenyuse izinga lempilo yakhe kakhulu. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili, uDe Bruijne waba “ngicishe ngivaleleke ngaphakathi” ngokusho kukaNick Ramsey eBrain Center of University Medical Center Utrecht eNetherlands, waze wathembela kumshini wokuphefumula ukuze ulawule ukuphefumula kwakhe. 

Waba isiguli sokuqala ukusebenzisa umshini wasekhaya osanda kwakhiwa omvumela ukuthi alawule umshini wekhompyutha ngemicabango yakhe. Ama-electrode amabili ahlinzwa ifakwe ebuchosheni bukaDe Bruijne endaweni ye-motor cortex. Izimila zobuchopho ezintsha zifunda izimpawu zikagesi ezivela ebuchosheni futhi zingaqedela imisebenzi ka-De Bruijne ngokuxhumana ngomunye ugesi ofakwe esifubeni sika-De Bruijne. Lokhu kwenziwa ngezitho zerobhothi, noma ikhompyutha. Kuthebhulethi exhunywe esihlalweni sakhe uyakwazi ukulawula ukukhetha kohlamvu esikrinini ngemicabango yakhe futhi angapela amagama okuxhumana nalabo abaseduze kwakhe.

Njengamanje inqubo ihamba kancane, cishe amagama angu-2-3 ngomzuzu, kodwa URamsey uyabikezela ukuthi ngokungeza ama-electrode amaningi angasheshisa inqubo. Ngokungeza ama-electrode angu-30-60 ngaphezulu, angahlanganisa uhlobo lolimi lwezandla, okungaba indlela esheshayo nelula yokuhumusha imicabango kaDe Bruijne.