Paralysis News and Research

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Paralysis is the loss of muscle function in part of your body. It happens when something goes wrong with the way messages pass between your brain and muscles. Paralysis can be complete or partial. It can occur on one or both sides of your body. It can also occur in just one area, or it can be widespread. Paralysis of the lower half of your body, including both legs, is called paraplegia. Paralysis of the arms and legs is quadriplegia.

Research reveals neuroprotective mechanisms of gene and cell medications for spinal cord injuries

A joint paper with Kazan State Medical University appeared in Stem Cells International. The research was based at the Gene and Cell Technologies Lab of Kazan University.

8 Mar 2018

Study sheds light on neuronal responses in ALS

In a recent study, scientists have linked changes in the size of motor neurons to the onset of symptoms in motor neurone disease (ALS).

5 Mar 2018

Young men recovering from flu have increased risk of developing Guillain-Barré syndrome

This year's flu season has been one of the worst in recent memory causing thousands of people to be hospitalized. The virus can be particularly dangerous for young men who can experience nerve damage caused by the body's response to the flu.

2 Mar 2018

New treatment shows promise to fight against serious inflammatory disease

Still's disease is a serious orphan disease manifested by high fevers, skin and joint involvement, including paralysis, as well as damage to other organs such as the liver or spleen. It is caused by a deregulation of the immune system triggering an acute inflammatory response.

27 Feb 2018

Study finds novel therapeutic strategy that preserves neuromuscular synapses in ALS mouse model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, causes lethal respiratory paralysis within several years of diagnosis. There are no effective treatments to slow or halt this devastating disease.

21 Feb 2018

Experimental treatment improves invisible symptoms of a man with spinal cord injury

An experimental treatment that sends electrical currents through the spinal cord has improved "invisible" yet debilitating side effects for a B.C. man with a spinal cord injury.

19 Feb 2018

Harvard scientists identify molecular machinery responsible for dopamine release in the brain

Studied for decades for its critical role in movement control and reward-seeking behaviors, the neurotransmitter dopamine has been the focus of numerous efforts to understand its activity, particularly when it goes awry in disorders such as Parkinson's and addiction.

1 Feb 2018

Experimental therapy may enhance recovery for stroke patients

An experimental therapy being tested by University of Alberta scientists that targets the spinal cord may one day be key to spurring on enhanced recovery for stroke victims.

1 Feb 2018

Study paves new way for development of vaccines against epidemics

The search for vaccines, treatments and preventive methods against infection by emerging viruses is one of the major challenges of global epidemiology.

30 Jan 2018

Physicians use pyridostigmine to reverse pediatric complications from botulinum toxin therapy

Physicians at the Medical University of South Carolina report the first pediatric use of a treatment to reverse complications from botulinum toxin therapy.

27 Jan 2018

Researchers identify virus as likely cause of mystery polio-like paralysis

A major review by UNSW Sydney medical researchers has identified strong evidence that a virus called Enterovirus D68 is the cause of a mystery polio-like illness that has paralysed children in the US, Canada and Europe.

22 Jan 2018

Genes involved in spinal cord repair of lamprey also present in mammals, study reveals

Many of the genes involved in natural repair of the injured spinal cord of the lamprey are also active in the repair of the peripheral nervous system in mammals, according to a study by a collaborative group of scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory and other institutions.

16 Jan 2018

Lamprey genes provide clues to repair spinal cord damage, finds study

Researchers have found that several genes within an ancient species of fish can be used to provide clues in the treatment of spinal cord damage. The study titled, “Highly Conserved Molecular Pathways, Including Wnt Signaling, Promote Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury in Lampreys,” appeared in the latest issue of the journal Scientific Reports.

15 Jan 2018

Researchers use novel PET tracer to assess myelin damage in mouse models of MS

The loss or damage of myelin, a cellular sheath that surrounds and insulates nerves, is the hallmark of the immune-mediated neurological disorder multiple sclerosis.

12 Jan 2018

The Virus That Causes Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease May Use Human Protein to Aid Infection

The human protein, prohibitin, may be used by the virus to enter motor neurons and cause the neurological complications of hand, foot and mouth disease.

12 Jan 2018

Implanted robotic system stimulates tissue growth in stunted organs

An implanted, programmable medical robot can gradually lengthen tubular organs by applying traction forces -- stimulating tissue growth in stunted organs without interfering with organ function or causing apparent discomfort, report researchers at Boston Children's Hospital.

11 Jan 2018

Implanted robots could help grow esophagus and gut

A programmable medical robot has been developed that could be implanted into an animal and help increase the size of the tube-like organs by pulling on them appropriately. The robot can stimulate tissue growth. This new robotic system was unveiled in an article published in the Science Robotics.