First Canadian ALS Patient Receives Neuralink Brain-Computer Implant
Advertisement
The device is designed to interpret neural activity, allowing users to control digital devices by intending to move rather than through physical movement.
A Vancouver police sergeant has become the first Canadian patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to receive a Neuralink brain-computer interface (BCI), marking the first procedure to use the company's experimental surgical robot to implant electrode threads through the brain's outer protective layer, the dura.
Lee Marten, a sergeant with the Vancouver Police Department currently on leave, underwent the procedure at Toronto Western Hospital, part of the University Health Network (UHN), in May. Following the implant, Marten has been able to operate a smartphone and laptop using neural signals, despite losing much of his mobility due to ALS.
Neuralink's N1 brain-computer interface consists of a small implant placed in the area of the brain responsible for planning movement. The device is designed to interpret neural activity, allowing users to control digital devices by intending to move rather than through physical movement.
Before the procedure, Marten retained enough hand function to operate his electric wheelchair. He is the 26th person worldwide to receive a Neuralink implant and the third Canadian participant in the company's clinical program. The other two Canadian recipients are individuals with quadriplegia.
The procedure also represents the first use of Neuralink's next-generation surgical robot, which automates the placement of ultra-thin electrode threads into the brain. The flexible threads are thinner than a human hair and are designed to be implanted with robotic precision.
Earlier this year, Neuralink introduced the robotic system, which performs critical steps during implantation after a surgeon prepares the skull and positions the brain for the procedure. According to the company, the robot picks up individual electrode threads from the implant and inserts them into targeted brain tissue.
The implant was performed under the Canadian Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (CAN-PRIME) study. In 2024, Health Canada authorized the four-year clinical trial to evaluate Neuralink's N1 implant and R1 robotic system at UHN Toronto Western Hospital.
The ongoing trial is enrolling Canadian residents with cervical spinal cord injuries, tetraparesis, tetraplegia, or ALS who have a life expectancy of at least 12 months. The study is designed to assess the safety and performance of the brain-computer interface and robotic implantation system in restoring digital communication and device control for people with severe neurological conditions.
Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News
