Neat News - Neat things do happen

Breathing is normally controlled by the brain. If the spine is injured and the nerves from the brain to the respiration apparatus are interrupted a person cannot breath any more and needs a ventilator in order to survive. In new tests with mice and rats it was possible to employ a drug to stimulate some neurons sufficiently so that some diaphragm function was restored. This gives hope that in the long run it is possible to restore breathing in human patients to the point that they are independent of a ventilator.