Browse the latest research summaries in the field of neurology for spinal cord injury patients and caregivers.
Showing 191-200 of 5,401 results
Neurotherapeutics, 2013 • February 26, 2013
This study investigates the potential of combined therapy involving surgical re-implantation of avulsed lumbar spinal roots and intraspinal transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to promote ...
KEY FINDING: Transplantation of MSCs significantly increased the survival of motoneurons after ventral root avulsion, with a 45% survival rate in MSC-treated animals compared to 28% in vehicle-injected rats.
Cell. Mol. Life Sci., 2013 • March 1, 2013
The review analyzes the current understanding of MSCs secretome as a new paradigm for treating CNS neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting their potential to secrete neuroregulatory factors that prom...
KEY FINDING: MSCs secrete factors that increase neurogenesis, inhibit apoptosis and glial scar formation, modulate the immune system, and promote angiogenesis, neuronal and glial cell survival.
Exp Neurol, 2013 • September 1, 2013
This study investigates the effects of structurally diverse aggrecan variants on sensory neuron growth cones and filopodia in vitro, modeling their first contact with glial scar CSPGs following spinal...
KEY FINDING: Mutant CHO-745 aggrecan (lacking chondroitin sulfate chains) permitted extensive growth across the PG stripe.
PLoS ONE, 2013 • March 4, 2013
The study introduces a robust zebrafish primary neuron culture system for functional nerve growth and guidance assays. Distinct classes of central nervous system neurons were dissociated and plated on...
KEY FINDING: Zebrafish neurons in culture extend axons with dynamic growth cones, exhibiting an average extension rate of 21.461.2 mm/hr for spinal cord neurons.
ACS Chem Biol., 2013 • May 17, 2013
The study developed a high-content analysis (HCA) screening bioassay using primary mammalian neurons to identify small-molecule PKIs that can promote neurite growth. Screening a library of 240 PKIs re...
KEY FINDING: A robust cell-based assay with a Z′-factor of 0.73 was developed, indicating high reliability and suitability for medium throughput screening.
Cell Death and Disease, 2013 • March 14, 2013
This study investigates the mechanisms by which neuroinflammatory processes induce neural precursor cell (NPC) death, focusing on the role of microglia and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). The research...
KEY FINDING: TNFa produced by LPS-activated microglia is necessary and sufficient to trigger apoptosis in mouse NPCs in vitro.
Neuroscience, 2013 • June 25, 2013
This study investigates the role of ephrin B2, an inhibitory axonal guidance molecule, in the failure of axonal regeneration following spinal cord injury (SCI). Using a conditional knockout mouse mode...
KEY FINDING: Deletion of ephrin B2 in astrocytes reduced astrogliosis and accelerated motor function recovery after spinal cord injury in mice.
Biology Open, 2013 • January 1, 2013
This study demonstrates that optogenetics can be used to initiate regeneration of a complex vertebrate structure in vivo by light-gated H+ pump, Archaerhodopsin. Light-activated Arch activity restores...
KEY FINDING: Light activation of Archaerhodopsin (Arch) hyperpolarizes cells in vivo, rescuing Xenopus embryos from craniofacial and patterning abnormalities.
PLoS ONE, 2013 • March 8, 2013
The study aimed to determine if ARSB, a mammalian enzyme, could improve locomotor function after spinal cord injury in mice, similar to ChaseABC but with potentially better stability and immunogenicit...
KEY FINDING: ARSB is more thermostable than ChaseABC at physiological temperature and acidic pH levels relevant to injured tissue.
Brain and Behavior, 2013 • March 1, 2013
The study demonstrates early cholinergic dysfunction in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice, an ALS model, preceding motor neuron loss. This dysfunction manifests as reduced ChAT content in motor neurons...
KEY FINDING: An early reduction in ChAT content was observed in the soma and presynaptic boutons of motor neurons, as well as in cholinergic interneurons in the lumbar spinal cord of 30-day-old SOD1G93A mice.