French Research Center Pioneers Mobility Restoration for Paralyzed Patients, Seeks Funding

PERPIGNAN, France — A leading French rehabilitation center is driving innovation in restoring active mobility for individuals paralyzed by spinal cord injuries, aiming to provide a pathway to greater independence and quality of life. L’USSAP’s Bouffard Vercelli re-education center in Perpignan is spearheading two groundbreaking research projects, backed by a significant fundraising effort scheduled for November 13, 2025.

The initiatives seek to reactivate muscle contractions in paralyzed limbs through advanced electrical stimulation, tackling both physiological and functional challenges faced by an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 people globally who suffer a spinal cord injury each year. This critical research underscores a growing global commitment to advancing neurorehabilitation and improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Charles Fattal, Medical Director at USSAP’s Bouffard Vercelli Center, explains the core principle: “These are muscles that remain alive because they depend on unaffected areas below the spinal cord lesion, but they are disconnected from brain control.” The research aims to bridge this disconnection, allowing patients to regain fundamental movements.

Empowering Lower Limb Movement: The APASEF Project

The first project, “APASEF,” builds upon the successful “Freewheels” initiative, which demonstrated the potential of electrical muscle stimulation for paraplegic and tetraplegic individuals to engage in therapeutic physical activity. APASEF’s goal is to enable movement in the lower limbs, offering a myriad of health benefits beyond mere mobility.

The physiological advantages include improved muscle quality, prevention of fat infiltration, and long-term reduction of cardiovascular risk. Dr. Fattal highlights another crucial benefit: “The bone of a spinal cord injured person loses 40 to 50 percent of its density.” Activating these muscles helps improve bone mineral density, enhances venous return to prevent phlebitis and pulmonary embolisms, and optimizes cardiovascular adaptation to effort.

Beyond these vital health improvements, APASEF offers a profound functional benefit: the freedom to cycle. Patients use surface electrodes on their thighs, connected to a stimulator on an “ergocycle” – a stationary bike allowing them to pedal from their wheelchairs. “Today, we are able to get a patient to pedal a bicycle over a distance of 2 to 15 km. Paralyzed feet pedaling a bicycle, I can tell you it’s a fantastic feeling of freedom for the patient,” Dr. Fattal proudly states.

To expand this program, the APASEF project requires €40,000 to acquire three ergocycles, three dedicated stimulators, three bike installation shells, and two therapeutic rowers. Rowers, he adds, are even more beneficial as they engage a wider range of muscles for venous return and cardiovascular adaptation.

Restoring Hand Dexterity: The AI Hand Project

The second critical initiative, “AI Hand,” addresses the severe limitations faced by tetraplegics with minimal residual muscle resources, who struggle to grasp, hold, and release objects. This project leverages advanced neuroprosthetic technology to restore essential hand function.

The AI Hand system uses innovative electrodes placed around forearm nerves, connected to a stimulator implanted in the chest. This setup allows for the precise activation of wrist and hand muscles. The research is a collaborative effort with Neurinnov, a company led by David Guiraud, a former researcher from Inria (University of Montpellier), and a German firm that developed a unique type of electrode.

“Instead of placing electrodes on 8 to 12 muscles, two electrodes are placed on just two nerves,” Dr. Fattal explains. The team is currently researching the most intuitive patient interface—whether voice control, specific movements, muscle contractions, joysticks, or push-buttons—to control the stimulator.

Following extensive testing between 2020 and 2024, the USSAP team anticipates a major milestone: the first human implantation of this neuroprosthesis in a French patient in autumn 2026, alongside a patient in Luxembourg, underscoring its European collaborative scope.

Support for Groundbreaking Research

To fund these vital advancements, L’USSAP is hosting a charity gala on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Prestige hall of the Aimé-Giral stadium in Perpignan. The evening will feature a menu crafted by three chefs from Les Toques Blanches. Tickets are priced at €160 per person, offered as a tax-deductible donation, with all proceeds directly supporting these crucial research projects.

This initiative represents not just a local fundraising event, but a significant investment in the future of neurorehabilitation, promising hope and tangible improvements for thousands suffering from paralysis worldwide.

Reservations can be made by emailing directioncbv@ussap.fr or directly online.