Questions to ask your doctor: BCIs and Spinal Cord Stimulation for Paralysis: 2026 Guide

A printable checklist to take to your appointment. Based on our guide Paralysis: Brain-Computer Interfaces and Spinal Cord Stimulation Guide.

1. Is my injury complete or incomplete, and at what level? Does that make me a possible candidate for non-invasive spinal stimulation?
2. Is ARC-EX or a similar authorised therapy offered near me, and will my insurance or health service pay for it?
3. How much therapy time would I need each week, and for how long?
4. What improvement could I realistically expect in my hands or arms?
5. Are there side effects I am at higher risk of, such as autonomic dysreflexia?
6. Are there clinical trials, including BCI trials, that I might qualify for? Can you help me read the eligibility rules?
7. Would joining a trial affect my current care, MRI scans or future treatment options?
8. If a clinic offers me a paid implant, what is its approved purpose and what evidence supports it?
9. Who will look after any device long term if I move or travel?

Also worth asking

1. Can a brain chip cure paralysis?
2. Is Neuralink approved?
3. How many people have a Neuralink implant?
4. What is ARC-EX and who can use it?

My notes

This checklist is general information, not medical advice. Your doctor knows your situation best.