Spinal Cord Injury News and Research

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A spinal cord injury usually begins with a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates vertebrae. The damage begins at the moment of injury when displaced bone fragments, disc material, or ligaments bruise or tear into spinal cord tissue. Most injuries to the spinal cord don't completely sever it. Instead, an injury is more likely to cause fractures and compression of the vertebrae, which then crush and destroy the axons, extensions of nerve cells that carry signals up and down the spinal cord between the brain and the rest of the body. An injury to the spinal cord can damage a few, many, or almost all of these axons. Some injuries will allow almost complete recovery. Others will result in complete paralysis.

Scientists receive $399,368 grant for front-line analysis of health services for autism in New Jersey

Scientists from Kessler Foundation received a two-year grant for $399,368 from The New Jersey Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism, New Jersey Department of Health, for a front-line analysis of health services for autism spectrum disorders in the state.

12 Sep 2022

New research focuses on restoring movement after spinal cord injury

People with spinal cord injuries often experience life-long movement impairment or paralysis, for which there is no cure. When coupled with rehabilitative exercise, electrical spinal cord stimulation can help restore some movement, though the mechanisms of how the nerves in the spinal cord recover are unknown.

6 Sep 2022

Discovery of a group of latent stem cells could offer a new approach to treat brain and spinal cord injuries

Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have identified a group of latent stem cells that respond to injury in the central nervous system of mice. If a similar type of cell exists in humans, they could offer a new therapeutic approach to treat brain and spinal cord injuries.

22 Aug 2022

Gait analysis in animals: Treadmill versus non treadmill system

This interview will look into talking about different systems used for analyzing gait in animals, in treadmill versus non-treadmill systems.

From Noldus Information Technology 8 Aug 2022

Decreased hippocampal activity linked to worse PTSD symptoms

After a traumatic event, people with decreased activity in the hippocampus experience worse PTSD symptoms, according to new research published in JNeurosci.

25 Jul 2022

New collaborative work wins Neuromod Prize to accelerate the development of neuromodulation therapies

The pioneering collaborative work being performed by Kessler Foundation scientists in the Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation team has been recognized with the Neuromod Prize, a new initiative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund's Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program.

22 Jul 2022

Kessler Foundation researchers receive NJHF grants to advance research in neurological disabilities

Each year, New Jersey Health Foundation (NJHF) accepts applications for grants for research projects that demonstrate exciting potential to help scientists leverage their preliminary findings to qualify for additional funding to advance their research. This year, grants were awarded to three researchers at Kessler Foundation.

21 Jul 2022

Study examines the use of eye movements as a biomarker for dual-diagnosis of traumatic spinal cord and brain injury

Silvana Costa, PhD, of Kessler Foundation received a two-year $199,800 grant from the New Jersey Commission on Spinal Cord Research.

11 Jul 2022

Gabapentin treatment may enhance recovery of movement after a stroke

The drug gabapentin, currently prescribed to control seizures and reduce nerve pain, may enhance recovery of movement after a stroke by helping neurons on the undamaged side of the brain take up the signaling work of lost cells, new research in mice suggests.

23 May 2022

Existing drug may reduce damage after spinal cord injury, research shows

Scientists from the University of Birmingham have shown an existing drug may reduce damage after spinal cord injury, by blocking the inflammatory response in the spinal cord.

20 May 2022

New methods can make spinal cord less excitable and could be used to treat muscle spasms

Poor sleep, difficulty moving and injuries from hitting something accidentally are just some of the challenges faced by suffers of often-painful involuntary muscle spasms.

11 May 2022

Gene therapy effectively reduces neuropathic pain in mice with spinal cord injuries

An international team of researchers, led by scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, report that a gene therapy that inhibits targeted nerve cell signaling effectively reduced neuropathic pain with no detectable side effects in mice with spinal cord or peripheral nerve injuries.

9 May 2022

Researchers identify new spinal oxygen sensors capable of protecting the body from hypoxia

University of Calgary researchers have identified a new oxygen sensing mechanism in a small population of spinal cord neurons capable of protecting the brain and other vital organs from low oxygen (hypoxia).

22 Apr 2022

Innovative imaging technique may pave the way for better understanding and treatment of spinal cord injury

A research team led by scientists from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has developed an innovative technology for in vivo imaging of the important biological processes involved in the injury and repair of spinal cords, paving the way for a better understanding of the pathology and potential treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI).

12 Apr 2022

Domestic violence survivor, UK patient stands and walks for the first time in more than eight years

"Deep breaths, April. Deep breaths." April Ballentine nods, steeling herself. As she sits inside the lab of the University of Kentucky's Sports Medicine Research Institute (SMRI), her anticipation stirs up an incredible amount of pure nervousness.

1 Apr 2022

Study offers new hope for patients coping with spinal cord injuries

By employing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to formulate therapeutic proteins, a team led by Rutgers researchers has successfully stabilized an enzyme able to degrade scar tissue resulting from spinal cord injuries and promote tissue regeneration.

7 Mar 2022

First-of-its-kind, innovative application for wheelchair users living with tetraplegia

Brooks Rehabilitation recently announced that the MagTrack study, a collaborative research endeavor with the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been successfully completed.

4 Mar 2022

People with spinal cord injuries most likely to develop psychological conditions, study shows

Adults living with spinal cord injuries have a near-80% increased risk of developing psychological conditions, such as depression and anxiety, compared to people without the traumatic injury, a new study shows. But chronic pain may have an equally large, negative effect on mental health.

8 Feb 2022

Winners of the first CERF Medical Engineering Prize for ALS Research announced

The Cullen Education and Research Fund announced the recipients of the first CERF Medical Engineering Prize for ALS Research: Dr. Leigh Hochberg, Dr. Conor Walsh, and Dr. Sabrina Paganoni.