Spinal Cord Injury News
A collection of posts on news, information and resources for those with spinal cord injuries.
Spinal Cord Stem Cells Can Help Repair After Injury
Spinal cord injury often leads to permanent functional impairment. In a new study published in the journal Science researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden show that it is possible to stimulate stem cells in the mouse spinal cord to form large amounts of new oligodendrocytes, cells that are essential to the ability of neurons to transmit signals, and thus to help repair the spinal cord after injury.
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Posted in Research for a Cure on October 3rd, 2020.
Tagged: stem cells
Smart Drug Delivery System May Help Treat Spinal Cord Injuries, Neurological Disorders
Drug delivery technology is aimed at helping people with spinal cord and other nervous system disorders.
A Rutgers-led team has created a smart drug delivery system that reduces inflammation in damaged nervous tissues and may help treat spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders.
Posted in Research for a Cure on September 19th, 2020.
Glial Cell Metabolism Linked with Functional Regeneration of CNS Neurons
Scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) and the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated how astrocytic glial cells in the brain can play a major role in facilitating neuron repair. The research, reported in Cell Metabolism, is the first to establish a link between glucose metabolism in glial cells and functional regeneration of damaged neurons in the central nervous system. “We found that glia have a metabolic switch associated with glucose metabolism that when triggered reverses inhibitory effects on growth and promotes axon regeneration,” commented Shuxin Li, MD, PhD, professor of anatomy and cell biology at Shriners Hospital’s Pediatric Research Center at LKSOM, and a senior investigator on the new study, which is titled, “Glial Metabolic Rewiring Promotes Axon Regeneration and Functional Recovery in the Central Nervous System.”
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Posted in Research for a Cure on September 19th, 2020.
Tagged: nerve regeneration
Neuralink Reveals Working Brain-to-Machine Interface
In a live demonstration, Elon Musk revealed that Neuralink has successfully installed a working brain-to-machine interface inside a pig.
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Posted in Assistive Technology, Research for a Cure on September 2nd, 2020.
Re-Engineered Enzyme Could Help Reverse Damage from Stroke, Spinal Cord Injury
A team of researchers from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & 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.
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Posted in Research for a Cure on August 26th, 2020.