Browse the latest research summaries in the field of spinal cord injury for spinal cord injury patients and caregivers.
Showing 31-40 of 7,812 results
Biomaterials, 2011 • September 1, 2011
This study investigates the use of aligned poly-L-lactic acid (PLA) microfibers to promote axonal regeneration after complete spinal cord transection in rats. The researchers found that aligned microf...
KEY FINDING: Aligned poly-L-lactic acid (PLA) microfibers promote long-distance axonal regeneration in a rat model of complete spinal cord transection.
JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA, 2012 • March 20, 2012
This study investigates the use of the Randall-Selitto test to detect and quantify neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. The results demonstrate that the Randall-Selitto test is eff...
KEY FINDING: The Randall-Selitto test effectively detected neuropathic pain in both forepaws and hindpaws of rats with spinal cord injuries, regardless of whether the injury was a contusion or a complete transection.
STEM CELLS, 2011 • January 1, 2011
Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells into spinal cord lesions enhances axonal regeneration and promotes functional recovery in animal studies. The mechanisms by which HSCs and MSCs might promote ...
KEY FINDING: MSCs can modify the environment around the spinal cord injury to support the regeneration of axons, the long fibers of nerve cells. They do this by reducing inflammation and creating an environment that supports axon growth.
PLoS ONE, 2011 • June 30, 2011
The study aimed to enhance the survival and neuronal differentiation of transplanted NSPCs in spinal cord injured rats using dbcAMP. Pre-treating NSPCs with dbcAMP before transplantation significantly...
KEY FINDING: NSPC survival was highest in the group pre-treated with dbcAMP, showing approximately 80% survival at both 2 and 6 weeks after transplantation.
Nature, 2011 • July 14, 2011
This study investigates methods to restore respiratory activity after cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) by targeting perineuronal net (PNN) associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) around ...
KEY FINDING: ChABC treatment alone promotes plasticity of spared tracts and restores limited activity to the paralyzed diaphragm.
Biomaterials, 2011 • November 1, 2011
The study quantitatively compared the regenerative capacity of four polymer types (PLGA, PCLF, OPF, and OPF+) as implants within a spinal cord transection model, using Schwann cells to promote regener...
KEY FINDING: All polymers (PLGA, PCLF, OPF, and OPF+) supported axonal growth in the transected rat spinal cord model.
J Neurosurg Spine, 2011 • December 1, 2011
The authors investigated the feasibility of using injectable hydrogels, based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), lightly crosslinked with polyethylene glycol (PEG) or methylcellulose (MC), to s...
KEY FINDING: The scaffolds did not worsen inflammation related to the injury.
Neurotherapeutics, 2011 • September 9, 2011
This review discusses the potential of neurotrophic factors as therapeutic tools for treating spinal cord injury (SCI) by enhancing axonal plasticity and regeneration. The review highlights the mechan...
KEY FINDING: Neurotrophins like NGF, BDNF, and NT-3 can promote the regeneration of specific neuronal populations after SCI. For example, NGF promotes sprouting of cholinergic motor axons, while BDNF supports regeneration of raphaespinal and rubrospinal axons.
J. Vis. Exp., 2011 • September 1, 2011
This study describes methods for live imaging of dorsal root axons after rhizotomy, focusing on techniques to assure successful long-term and repeated imaging of regenerating DR axons. Strategies incl...
KEY FINDING: After a crush injury, most YFP+ axons grew through the injury site within three days.
Neurotherapeutics, 2011 • September 15, 2011
This review highlights the progress in developing astrocyte transplantation therapies for CNS repair, emphasizing the importance of astrocytes as supporting cells for neuronal replacement. The authors...
KEY FINDING: Pre-differentiating GRP cells into GDAsBMP before transplantation promotes axonal regeneration, neuronal survival, tissue realignment, and functional recovery in transected rat spinal cords.