Targeting Translational Successes through CANSORT-SCI: Using Pet Dogs To Identify Effective Treatments for Spinal Cord Injury

JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA, 2017 · DOI: 10.1089/neu.2016.4745 · Published: June 15, 2017

Neurology Veterinary Medicine Research Methodology & Design

Simple Explanation

The study addresses the challenges of translating spinal cord injury (SCI) treatments from lab to clinic, emphasizing the need for models that closely resemble human conditions. It highlights the potential of pet dogs with naturally occurring SCI as a valuable model for evaluating interventions due to similarities in diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care to human SCI patients. The Canine Spinal Cord Injury Consortium (CANSORT-SCI) was established to promote this canine model, aiming to conduct rigorous trials and develop resources for SCI research.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Pet dogs with naturally occurring spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Review

Key Findings

1
The review identifies strengths of the canine SCI model, including the ability to study naturally occurring injuries in a heterogeneous population, mirroring the complexity of human SCI.
2
Challenges include a lack of familiarity with the model among non-veterinary scientists and uncertainty about its optimal role in the translational process.
3
Assessment tools used in dogs, such as ordinal locomotor scales, kinematic assessments, sensory testing, and urodynamic studies, mirror human techniques.

Research Summary

The review emphasizes the challenges in translating SCI therapies from laboratory models to human clinical trials and proposes the use of pet dogs with naturally occurring SCI as a more relevant translational model. It introduces the Canine Spinal Cord Injury Consortium (CANSORT-SCI) and its goals to promote the use of canine clinical models in SCI research by addressing key challenges and leveraging the model's strengths. The review highlights that the clinical dog model parallels the human condition, offering opportunities to efficiently conduct rigorous clinical trials and enhance translation from benchtop to bedside.

Practical Implications

Improved Translational Research

Using pet dogs with SCI can bridge the gap between lab results and human clinical outcomes, leading to more effective treatments.

Standardized Assessment

Developing standardized training programs for locomotor assessments can improve the reliability and comparability of clinical trials in dogs.

One Health Initiative

The CANSORT-SCI consortium serves as an example of the One Health Initiative, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration for improved health outcomes for humans and animals.

Study Limitations

1
Limited histopathological studies of chronic canine IVDH-associated SCI.
2
The role of MRI as a biomarker of disease/predictor of outcome is not yet well-defined.
3
Investigation of neuropathic pain in dogs with SCI has hitherto been limited.

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