Articles tagged with Spinal Cord
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Researchers found that TDP-43 binds to NF-kB p65 in spinal cords of ALS patients, promoting inflammation and killing neurons. Treatment with an agent blocking p65 activity eased disease symptoms in a mouse model.
Patients with recurrent inflammatory spinal cord diseases have significantly lower vitamin D levels compared to those with monophasic disease. The study suggests a common link between low vitamin D levels and immunologic dysregulation in these conditions.
Researchers have found evidence that meninges, a membrane surrounding the central nervous system, contains self-renewing stem cells. This discovery may lead to new treatments for spinal cord injuries and degenerative brain disorders, as these stem cells can proliferate and form glial scars after injury.
A new technology, FLAMES (floating light activated micro-electrical stimulators), has been developed to help individuals with spinal cord injuries. The device is wirelessly controlled and can activate nerves in the spinal cord, allowing patients to regain motor functions.
A new study reveals that defects in peripheral tissues contribute to SMA pathology, and systemic antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) increase survival time by 25-fold. ASO treatment also restores normal IGF-1 levels, which are reduced in untreated mice with severe SMA.
Researchers at University of British Columbia have discovered radial glial cells in the spinal cord that can function as stem cells and regenerate portions of the central nervous system. These cells share unique genes with other neural stem cells and could be targeted for potential gene therapy treatments.
A new class of stem cell-like radial glial cells has been identified in the spinal cord, which may offer a fresh avenue for therapies to treat spinal cord injury and disease. These cells were discovered using the Allen Spinal Cord Atlas and display a unique progenitor phenotype.
Scientists have discovered a common cause of all forms of ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative disease, by identifying a broken down protein recycling system in neurons. This finding provides a common target for drug therapy and suggests that all types of ALS are tributaries pouring into a common river of cellular incompetence.
SUNY Downstate researchers found that female animals had higher levels of a specific opioid receptor complex that could explain why certain opioids are more effective in women than men. This discovery suggests new molecular targets for pain management in women, taking into account the stage of their menstrual cycle.
A team of scientists has achieved a significant breakthrough in treating paralysis, allowing a paralyzed man to stand and take steps with assistance. The study uses epidural electrical stimulation to mimic brain signals, enabling the spinal cord's neural network to initiate movement.
Researchers at the University of Louisville have achieved significant breakthroughs in treating paraplegia through epidural spinal cord stimulation and extensive locomotor training. The study's results, published in The Lancet, show that a paralyzed man can stand, step, and move his legs voluntarily with assistance.
A team of researchers from Caltech and UCLA used an electrode array to stimulate a paralyzed man's spinal cord, allowing him to stand, step, and regain voluntary leg movements. The treatment improved autonomic functions such as bladder control, temperature regulation, and muscle tone over time.
Researchers mapped spinal cord function using MRI to improve injury diagnosis and treatment. Attention levels impact spinal cord processing, affecting pain management for those with spinal cord injuries.
Researchers discovered that connections in the spinal cord regrew spontaneously and extensively after a mild spinal cord injury in primates, restoring 60% of original connections. This finding holds significant promise for developing new treatments for patients with spinal cord injuries.
Researchers found a significant decrease in macrophage activity at spinal cord injury sites in mice without spleens, indicating the spleen's role in promoting inflammation. Understanding how these cells function and manipulating their release could improve treatment options for spinal cord injuries.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered how stem cells and other cells repair damaged spinal cord tissue in mice. The study identified ependymal cells as a key player in this process, which is crucial for developing therapies for spinal cord injury.
The Journal will provide a strong multidisciplinary forum to advance the understanding of therapeutic hypothermia. Novel findings from translational preclinical investigations as well as clinical studies and trials will be featured in original articles.
Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a single type of gene that acts as a master organizer of motor neurons in the spinal cord. The finding, published in Neuron, could lead to new treatments for diseases such as Lou Gehrig's disease and spinal cord injury.
A study reveals that mutant SOD1 interacts with VDAC1, disrupting its function and leading to mitochondrial damage and motor neuron degeneration. Reduced VDAC1 activity accelerates the onset of fatal paralysis in ALS mice.
Researchers at UCI, UCSD, and Harvard have induced robust regeneration of nerve connections that control voluntary movement after spinal cord injury. By deleting a cell growth inhibitor called PTEN, they achieved this breakthrough by turning back the developmental clock in a molecular pathway critical for the growth of corticospinal tr...
Researchers have successfully reversed symptoms of Type III SMA in mice by introducing an ASO into their spinal cords, promoting efficient inclusion of a critical exon and increasing SMN protein production. The treatment persisted for half a year after administration and showed no toxicity or inflammation.
Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital tested spinal cord stimulation in a single patient with Parkinson's disease, finding that low-frequency SCS worsened symptoms while high-frequency SCS improved motor function. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore potential benefits of this approach for PD patients.
A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has shown that treating injured rat spinal cords with the enzyme sialidase improves nerve regrowth, motor recovery, and nervous system function. The treatment also showed improvements in blood pressure control and increased number of sprouted nerve ends.
Researchers found that folic acid can promote nerve cell regeneration following injury in rodents. This discovery provides a rationale for testing folate supplementation in patients with spinal cord and brain trauma. The study suggests that folate may play a role in promoting healing and recovery from brain and spinal cord injuries.
Researchers discover chitosan can repair damaged spinal cord nerve cell membranes, reducing leakage and oxidative stress. The compound restores electrical signal transmission to the brain, offering hope for spinal injury patients.
A study published by the German Cancer Research Center found that CD95L promotes tissue-damaging inflammatory reactions in injured spinal cord tissue. Blocking this molecule may offer a new approach to treating severe inflammatory diseases.
Researchers at UTHealth have demonstrated that transplanting genetically modified adult stem cells into an injured spinal cord can help restore electrical pathways associated with movement. The new cells, called oligodendrocyte precursor cells, facilitate remyelination and increase behavioral recovery.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have created a genetically modified mouse that can walk when exposed to blue light. The study provides insight into the neural control of locomotion and has potential implications for treating spinal cord injuries.
A study published in Developmental Cell has identified protease-activated receptors as crucial for neural tube closure, a process disrupted in congenital birth defects such as anencephaly and spina bifida. The research suggests that this PAR signaling system may regulate the integrity of tissue to prevent neural tube defects.
Researchers identified a link between Sec24b and Vangl2 genes in mouse spinal cord development, which may lead to new research on all spinal defects. The discovery opens doors for investigating the root of spinal cord defects in humans.
A new study suggests that a damaging inflammatory response following spinal cord injury can prevent healing and promote chronic pain. Anti-inflammatory macrophages, which are typically involved in later stages of injury repair, were found to promote effective growth of axons but disappear shortly after an injury.
Scientists have discovered a compound that dramatically slows the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in mice by extending their lifespan by 25 percent and reducing muscle wasting. The enzyme APC has been shown to protect neurons from cell death caused by SOD1 mutations, which are linked to most sporadic cases of ALS.
A new study by neuroscientists at Ohio State University suggests that immune responses to spinal cord injuries may actually worsen and extend the damage. Inhibiting antibody-producing B cells may promote healing and reduce long-term effects of spinal cord injury.
Researchers discover regeneration of severed nerve fibers is not required for paraplegic rats to learn to walk again. Daily treadmill training enables rats to regain full weight-bearing walking abilities.
Researchers discover gecko tails have intricate movement patterns after shedding, including flips up to 3cm in height. The isolated tail serves as a vehicle for studying spinal cord function and nerve-muscle coordination.
Scientists discovered that endocannabinoids in the human body can disable brakes on pain signals, leading to prolonged chronic pain. In contrast, THC from cannabis may worsen toothaches, but could alleviate neuropathic pain.
In a breakthrough study, researchers identified itch-specific neurons in mice that can be targeted to alleviate chronic itching. The discovery suggests that itch and pain signals are transmitted through different pathways in the spinal cord, offering new hope for treatments.
A University of Alberta study found that morning people's brains are most excitable at 9am, while evening people's brains are most active at 9pm. This suggests different nervous-system functions and implications for human performance.
Researchers developed a prosthetic device that applies electrical stimulation to the dorsal column in the spinal cord, improving movement in dopamine-depleted animals. The device was found to be effective and less invasive than other alternatives to medication, with potential for widespread use.
Researchers reported on eight patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who received multiple route bone marrow stem cell injections, showing functional improvements such as bladder control. The study demonstrated the safety and feasibility of multiple route administration of bone marrow-derived stem cells for SCI treatment.
A new area of the cerebral cortex has evolved to enable complex movements, such as picking up small objects and using tools, in humans and higher primates. This new area is home to cortico-motoneuronal cells that directly control spinal cord motor neurons, bypassing limitations imposed by spinal cord circuitry.
The partnership aims to translate early research into new treatments for chronic spinal cord injuries, which currently leave patients with lifelong suffering. Dr. Evan Snyder and Dr. Mark Tuszynski will lead the effort to use stem cells to repair damaged neural cells in adults.
Scientists have determined that pain and itch are regulated by different molecular mechanisms. Researchers at WashU Medicine separated itch and pain sensations in mice, a finding that could have important implications for treating both pain and chronic itching. GRPR gene plays key role in transmitting itching sensations.
Researchers found that direct implantation of mesenchymal stem cells did not remyelinate the damaged area, but still consider MSCs a promising tool for neurological disorders due to their pre-clinical efficacy in treating stroke and MS.
Interferon-gamma plays a deciding role in whether immune cells attack and injure the central nervous system in mice. The protein is protective in cerebellums and brainstems but causes nerve cell damage in spinal cords.
A team of chemists at Johns Hopkins University has developed water-soluble electronic materials that spontaneously assemble into 'wires' with potential for biomedical applications. The researchers are exploring the use of these materials to guide electrical current and regulate cell-to-cell communication.
In a breakthrough for ALS research, scientists successfully transplanted stem cell-like cells into rat models of the disease, slowing neuron loss and extending life. The treatment targets the cervical spinal cord, where motor neurons are most vulnerable to damage.
A new study in mice with an MS-like disease found that the brain's response to a specific immune protein, interferon-g (IFNg), dictates which part of the brain is attacked. This discovery may bring scientists closer to understanding the variable manifestations of human multiple sclerosis.
V3 neurons play a vital role in maintaining balance between both sides of the body, ensuring robust stepping rhythms. The discovery provides an important milestone in understanding neural circuitry that coordinates walking movements.
Researchers at Northwestern University believe spicy food, including pepperoni pizza, can worsen pelvic pain and urinary frequency in women with interstitial cystitis. A new treatment approach using anesthetic patches or suppositories may provide relief.
Purdue University researchers have developed a method of using nanoparticles to deliver treatments to injured brain and spinal cord cells. The team coated silica nanoparticles with a polymer to target and repair injured guinea pig spinal cords, showing improved physiological functioning in treated cells.
Researchers found that pain signals from arthritic joints worsen and expand the disease by transferring inflammation to the spinal cord. New treatments aim to interrupt 'crosstalk' between joints and the spinal cord to treat osteoarthritis.
Researchers identified a new immune polyradiculoneuropathy affecting workers at several pork processing plants, causing nerve damage and inflammation in legs. Thirteen out of 15 patients showed elevated protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid and activation of their immune systems.
Research finds that leaky blood vessels in mice with ALS mutations expose neurons to toxic substances, contributing to disease progression. The study opens a new front in understanding ALS, a debilitating disease that affects motor neurons.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a nano-engineered gel that inhibits scar tissue formation and enables spinal cord fiber regeneration. This breakthrough allows mice with spinal cord injuries to walk again after six weeks, paving the way for potential human trials.
Dr. Richard Stein has been awarded the Barbara Turnbull Award for Spinal Cord Research, a $50,000 prize, for his work on direct, microelectrical spinal cord stimulation. His innovative device aims to record sensory feedback from muscles and nerves in legs and hips to help paralyzed individuals walk.
Researchers from the Trainor Lab have characterized a crucial gene that regulates neural cell differentiation and proliferation during embryonic development. The study reveals how this gene, Cux2, integrates cell cycle progression with neural progenitor differentiation to shape the spinal cord.
A new study suggests that taking folic acid supplements for at least one year before pregnancy can significantly reduce the risk of premature birth. The research found a 50-70% decrease in early preterm deliveries, with the greatest reduction seen in very early premature births.
Researchers discovered that the central nervous system can reorganize itself and follow new pathways to restore cellular communication required for movement. The study, published in Nature Medicine, shows that most mice regained mobility within eight weeks after spinal cord damage was induced.
Researchers at the Salk Institute have identified a key signal guiding motor neuron navigation, Magellan, which helps them reach their target destinations. The mutation affects the structure of growing neurons, causing them to lose direction and form abnormal 'kinks' or coils.