Articles tagged with Spinal Cord
Mitochondria are targeted by a mutant protein called SOD1, leading to the progressive degeneration of motor nerve cells in spinal cord. The study provides the first explanation for how this mutant protein causes ALS, a disease characterized by wasted muscles and premature death.
Researchers at UNC have identified a molecular pathway that promotes nerve growth and regeneration in the spinal cord. The study reveals how NGF stimulation regulates key proteins to assemble axons from microtubules, providing new potential targets for repairing spinal cord injuries.
Researchers tested rTMS on four patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries, finding a 37.5% drop in intracortical inhibition and improvements in motor and sensory function. This treatment may facilitate functional recovery and has the potential to help people with partial spinal cord injuries recover some movement and feeling.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have successfully coaxed new motor neurons out of embryonic stem cells and into the spinal cords of paralyzed rats. The study, funded by various organizations, aims to overcome a major hurdle in clinical therapy for motor neuron diseases like ALS and SMA.
Scientists have found a possible way to rescue damaged neurons from death by targeting a specific protein. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that a proNGF antibody can prevent the interaction between two cellular proteins that cause neuron damage.
Researchers created immortal human nerve cells by introducing a telomerase gene into progenitor cells, allowing them to continuously divide and produce specific types of neurons. The cells were used to partially repair damaged spinal cords in laboratory animals without forming tumors.
Researchers used post-mortem spinal cord tissue to identify a unique gene expression profile in ALS patients, revealing distinct changes underlying the terminal stages of the disease. The study distinguishes between familial and sporadic ALS forms, providing insights into the molecular pathophysiology of neurodegeneration.
Researchers have found that patients with spinal cord injuries can generate muscle activity independent of brain signals when one leg is moved during therapy. This discovery has significant implications for developing rehabilitation strategies and improving walking abilities in spinal cord injury patients.
Researchers discovered a guidance mechanism that regulates nerve cell growth up and down the spinal cord. This discovery may help restore function to people with paralyzing spinal cord injuries by guiding damaged axons towards the brain.
Scientists have discovered that touch input plays a crucial role in guiding the normal maturation of the pain sensitivity system during development, contradicting the long-held assumption that it is an innate process. This finding has important implications for understanding chronic pain and may lead to new therapeutic methods.
The Gene Expression Nervous System Atlas (GENSAT) project has mapped gene activity in the mouse nervous system, providing insights into brain development and function. The data will facilitate investigations into neurological and psychiatric drugs, as well as advance our understanding of human development and disease.
Researchers have identified neural pathways connecting the prefrontal cortex to the spinal cord and hypothalamus, influencing autonomic responses in complex emotional situations. These findings have implications for conditions such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have made a breakthrough in treating spinal cord injuries by using tiny nerves from the rib cage to partially restore hind leg movement. The study found that grafting these nerves and adding a growth stimulator, aFGF, can improve movement in rats with severed spinal cords.
Researchers have developed a new procedure that treats spinal tumors more effectively by using intensity modulated radiation and image-guided techniques. This allows for precise treatment with minimal exposure to healthy tissue, resulting in rapid symptom relief within two weeks.
Biomedical engineer Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert has designed a novel nerve repair system that uses a gel-filled tube to deliver growth factor proteins stimulating nerve regeneration. The system promotes peripheral nerve regeneration in preliminary rat studies and shows promise for spinal cord repair.
Researchers at USF Health successfully transplanted clonal human neurons into rats with severe spinal cord injuries, allowing some animals to bear weight on their hind legs. The study suggests that the transplanted cells can re-establish a neural connection, potentially paving the way for future rehabilitation and functional recovery.
A new peptide developed by researchers at Yale University has shown promise in promoting new growth in injured spinal cords. The study confirmed that a molecule called Nogo blocks axon regeneration, but also demonstrated how to block its action with the peptide, allowing nerve fibers to grow back and restoring mobility to laboratory rats.
Researchers successfully implanted nerve cells in rats with partial hemisection spinal cord damage, showing partial recovery of walking abilities. In contrast, complete transection and ventral root avulsion models showed limited or no regrowth of damaged motor neurons.
Scientists have developed a new mouse model that allows for selective elimination of genes in specific tissues, enabling studies on the role of PAX-3 in heart development and its connection to other systems such as the brain and spinal cord. This breakthrough technology facilitates research collaboration and opens up new avenues for un...
Researchers found that delaying spinal cord injury treatment until the initial changes have stabilized can improve regrowth of injured neurons and axons. This combination therapy with fetal tissue transplants and nerve growth factors shows promise for treating severe spinal cord trauma.
A new study led by Barbara Bregman found that delaying treatment for spinal cord injuries can lead to increased regrowth of nerve cell fibers. The addition of neurotrophins was key to this effect, with rats experiencing significant improvement in motor function.
A team of researchers has developed a novel treatment for spinal cord injuries using a plastic tube filled with chemicals that promote nerve growth. The tube, designed to mimic the flexibility of the spinal cord, provides a pathway for neurons to grow and potentially reconnect severed nerves.
Weizmann Institute scientists propose a novel vaccination method to prevent secondary degeneration after partial spinal cord injury, leading to significant recovery of movement in rats. The treatment protected nerve fibers and showed potential effectiveness in other central nervous system disorders.
Researchers are developing robotic lampreys with artificial muscle material, onboard compass, and sonar altimeter to mimic nature in technology. The robots can swim backward and maintain an S-shape during movement, making them ideal for stealthy underwater operations.
Scientists successfully used frozen human nerve cells to repair damaged spinal cords in an animal model of multiple sclerosis. The method may one day allow patients to use their own cells to treat demyelinating diseases.
A study published in Neuron found that ephrin-B3 plays a key role in the connection between the brain and spinal cord, which is essential for forming motor connections. The research provides new insights into mirror movement disorder, a rare condition characterized by involuntary symmetrical movements of limbs.
Scientists found that switching on the genes for GAP-43 and CAP-23 induces neurons to grow elongated nerve fibers, characteristic of regenerating nerves. This breakthrough suggests genetic therapy or drugs activating just a handful of genes might be enough to induce regeneration in humans with spinal cord injuries.
The event will feature panel presentations by patients and family members who share their experiences coping with spinal cord injuries. Researchers discuss recent advances in treating SCI, including neurotrophic electrodes, growth factors, gene therapy, and stem cell therapies.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have made groundbreaking discoveries about spinal cord plasticity, which enables the spinal cord to learn and adapt without brain input. This breakthrough could potentially lead to greater chances of recovery for victims of spinal cord injuries.
Researchers have discovered a new target for treating chronic pain by disabling specific nerve cells that send pain signals to the brain. The study found that combining substance P with saporin can significantly reduce pain sensitivity, even when administered after neuropathic pain has developed.
Researchers develop implants that amplify weak signals traveling along the spinal cord, potentially restoring coordinated movements in paralyzed individuals. Clinical trials are planned within two years to help people with spinal injuries stand and exercise their legs.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University found that damaged spinal cords can regenerate nerve fibers from transplanted adult nerve cells. The study suggests that scar tissue is the major obstacle to regeneration, and removing it may unlock a greater potential for nerve growth.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have discovered a natural compound called pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) that offers nearly complete protection against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). PEDF is a potent neurotrophic factor that may significantly protect spinal motor nerves against injury.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have induced the growth of severed adult mammalian spinal cord fibers across the site of injury without implanted cells or tissues. The study calls into question current assumptions about barriers to spinal cord regeneration and points towards a promising new direction for achieving this goal.
Researchers have successfully delivered beta-endorphin genes into the sheath of tissue surrounding the spinal cord, reducing hyperalgesic pain sensation in animal models. The study's simplified approach and selective therapeutic effect suggest potential applications for treating various spinal cord and brain disorders.
Purdue researchers successfully restored electrical nerve impulses in severed spinal cords by applying a non-toxic polymer, PEG. The technique, called fusion technology, repairs damaged nerve cells and enables some impulses to reach the other end of the cord in up to 58% of cases.
Dr. Philip James reports that high-pressure chambers can increase oxygen levels in damaged spinal nerves, potentially preventing paralysis. The treatment has been used on divers with decompression sickness and shows promise for spinal cord injuries.