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.

Evidence-based approaches improve employment outcomes after spinal cord injury

Researchers at Kessler Foundation authored a new article, "Employment after spinal cord injury," (DOI: 10.1007/s40141-020-00266-4), published by Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports on May 24, 2020.

19 Sep 2020

Point-of-care biomarker assay predicts traumatic brain injury in minutes

Intracranial abnormalities on CT scan in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be predicted by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels in the blood.

16 Sep 2020

Combination of stem cell therapy and educational intervention can help kids with ASD

Results of a clinical trial released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine indicate that a combination of stem cell therapy and educational intervention can significantly help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

9 Sep 2020

Re-designed natural enzyme could reverse nerve damage caused by stroke, spinal cord injury

A team of researchers from University of Toronto Engineering and the University of Michigan has redesigned and enhanced a natural enzyme that shows promise in promoting the regrowth of nerve tissue following injury.

25 Aug 2020

Doctors with disabilities call for a paradigm shift to make medical education, profession more inclusive

Doctors treat and heal patients, but they are seldom seen as people who may themselves require care or accommodation. Medics with disabilities are now calling for a paradigm shift in this mindset to make medical education and the profession more inclusive.

21 Aug 2020

Paired associative stimulation promotes walking rehabilitation in paraplegic patient

The simultaneous stimulation of the motor nerves of the brain and limbs (paired associative stimulation) has yielded promising research results.

17 Aug 2020

Study demonstrates new stimulation therapy for motor rehabilitation in spinal cord injuries

The simultaneous stimulation of the motor nerves of the brain and limbs (paired associative stimulation) has yielded promising research results. Research conducted at the BioMag Laboratory, operated by the University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital and Aalto University, has previously demonstrated that simultaneous transcranial magnetic stimulation of the brain and electrical stimulation of the limb nerves constitute a useful method of motor rehabilitation in patients suffering from spinal cord injuries.

17 Aug 2020

Osmotic therapy device reduces swelling in rats with spinal cord injuries

When injured, the spinal cord swells, restricting blood flow, resulting in further, often critical and permanent motor, sensory, and autonomic function damage.

12 Aug 2020

NTNU researcher urges to develop robot technology that works for more people

The Norwegian competitive athlete Birgit Skarstein is known in Norway for her participation in an expedition for the Lars Monsen TV series "Uten Grenser" (a remake of BBC's Beyond Boundaries). She is paralyzed from the waist down as the result of an accident.

12 Aug 2020

Mice study shows a promising therapy for spinal cord injuries

Using stem cells to restore lost functions due to spinal cord injury (SCI) has long been an ambition of scientists and doctors.

6 Aug 2020

New approach shows promise for treating shoulder pain in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury

Researchers in regenerative rehabilitation conducted a pilot study of a new approach to the treatment of treatment-resistant shoulder pain in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) and rotator cuff disease.

29 Jul 2020

Spinal cord injuries in mice cause acquired bone marrow failure syndrome

Research conducted at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and The Ohio State University College of Medicine found that spinal cord injuries in mice cause an acquired bone marrow failure syndrome that may contribute to chronic immune dysfunction.

24 Jul 2020

Using AI to pinpoint neurons involved in gait reacquisition

Researchers at EPFL are able to get paralyzed rodents walking again by stimulating the animals' damaged spinal cords.

20 Jul 2020

Updates on stem cell therapeutics and regenerative medicine

Stem cell and regenerative medicine research is an important area of clinical research which promises to change the face of medicine as it will be practiced in the years to come.

27 May 2020

New treatment discovered to reduce swelling after brain and spinal cord injuries

Scientists have discovered a new treatment to dramatically reduce swelling after brain and spinal cord injuries, offering hope to 75 million victims worldwide each year.

15 May 2020

Developing innovative radiation treatment for inoperable brain and spinal tumors

An innovative radiation treatment that could one day be a valuable addition to conventional radiation therapy for inoperable brain and spinal tumors is a step closer, thanks to new research led by University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers at the Canadian Light Source (CLS).

13 May 2020

Study finds Lin28 as promising therapeutic target for central nervous system injuries

Like power lines in an electrical grid, long wiry projections that grow outward from neurons - structures known as axons - form interconnected communication networks that run from the brain to all parts of the body.

2 May 2020

UVA scientists seek answers to questions about spinal cord injuries

Two top scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine are seeking answers to questions about spinal cord injuries that have long frustrated the development of effective treatments.

30 Apr 2020

Restoring the Sense of Touch

Dr. Patrick Ganzer speaks to News-Medical about his groundbreaking research into restoring the sense of touch using brain-computer interfaces.

24 Apr 2020

Adults with spinal cord injury are at higher risk of developing mental health disorders

In a new study, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers from Michigan Medicine find adults with spinal cord injury are at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, compared to adults without the condition.

22 Apr 2020