Colorado man receives pioneering brain-computer interface implant

A paralyzed man in Colorado has become the world's first recipient of a brain-computer interface implanted in the higher levels of the brain. 

Brandon Patterson, 41, has been paralyzed from the neck down since getting into a Jeep accident in 2017. His implant allows external devices to communicate with his brain, giving him more independence and function. 

According to CBS News, neurosurgeons in Colorado installed three ports on top of Patterson's head to connect and communicate with outside computers. 

The ports "can record one or even a couple of single neurons that are local to that area," UCHealth neurosurgeon Dr. Daniel Kramer told CBS News.

It seemed to be working well soon after the surgery. 

"I could feel my fingers moving just on their own, which was weird, to say the least," said Patterson. The accident had left him feeling nothing in the bottoms of his arms and fingers. 

"I'm sitting here watching and nothing's obviously moving, but I can feel all my fingers," he added. 

His excitement is palpable. "I've come to the realization that walking is never going to be in my purview. But extending what I can be in the chair is something I'm looking forward to," Patterson said. 

Kramer explained how previous brain-computer interface surgeries focused on the primary motor area. Patterson's implant has the potential to provide him with much more sensory and motor control. 

Researchers continue to test which responses in Patterson's brain can directly order external machines to perform actions. 

Kramer explained that shortly after Patterson's surgery, his neurosurgical team was "trying to take the summary of activity from the brain and then make decisions about what that activity is doing." 

"For instance, if he wants to reach right, versus reach left, versus reach up; things like that," he said. 

Ultimately, according to Kramer, researchers are eager to see if this groundbreaking development can "restore lost function to those with spinal cord injuries, or ALS, or other diseases where they've lost motor or sensory connections to the brain." 

Potentially, the data researchers collect may likewise lead to developments in treatments and therapies for mood disorders or dementia. 

Patterson is keen to contribute to the fruition of this goal, too. 

"I'm very excited to see what [the implant] can do. I'm more excited to see who it can help in the future," he said.