Spinal Cord Injury News
A collection of posts on news, information and resources for those with spinal cord injuries.
Scientists Make Breakthrough in Spinal Cord Stem Cell Treatment
A stem cell treatment helped improve the motor function of two out of four patients with a spinal cord injury in the first clinical study of its kind, Japanese scientists said.
There is currently no effective treatment for paralysis caused by serious spinal cord injuries, which affect more than 150,000 patients in Japan alone, with 5,000 new cases each year.
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Posted in Clinical Trials and Studies, Research for a Cure on March 24th, 2025.
Neural Stem Cell Transplantation Shows Promise for Treating Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
A Phase I clinical trial led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine has demonstrated the long-term safety and feasibility of neural stem cell transplantation for treating chronic spinal cord injuries. These devastating injuries often result in partial or full paralysis and are currently incurable. The study, which followed four patients with chronic spinal cord injuries for five years, found that two patients showed durable evidence of neurological improvement after treatment with neural stem cell implantation, including increased motor and sensory scores, and improved electromyography (EMG) activity. Some patients also showed improvement in pain scores.
Posted in Clinical Trials and Studies, Research for a Cure on December 17th, 2024.
Deep Brain Stimulation Helps Restore Walking After Spinal Cord Injury
The discovery that an unexpected brain region is crucial for walking recovery in mice with spinal cord injuries has led a deep brain stimulation therapy in humans. The approach restored enough leg control in two individuals with partial spinal injuries to walk unaided and even climb stairs.
Researchers at EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), led by professors Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch, have achieved a major milestone in the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI). By applying deep brain stimulation (DBS) to an unexpected region in the brain—the lateral hypothalamus (LH)—the team has improved the recovery of lower limb movements in two individuals with partial SCI, greatly improving their autonomy and well-being.
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Posted in Research for a Cure on December 3rd, 2024.
World-First Clinical Trial for Treating Spinal Cord Injury
Since the passing of Professor Emeritus Alan Mackay-Sim AM in 2023, his ground-breaking legacy research is about to be realized with a Phase I human clinical trial commencing to test the efficacy and safety of the transplantation of olfactory cell nerve bridges to treat chronic spinal cord injury.
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Posted in Clinical Trials and Studies, Research for a Cure on October 21st, 2024.
Researchers Develop New Implant to Power Healing After Spinal Cord Injury
A research team at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has developed a new implant that conveys electrical signals and may have the potential to encourage nerve cell (neuron) repair after spinal cord injury.
Details of the implant and how it performs in lab experiments have just been Opens in new windowpublished in the journal Materials Today.
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Posted in Research for a Cure on August 28th, 2024.