Injectable scaffolds help repair nerves after spinal injuries

Spinal cord injuries lead to permanent paralysis, and unfortunately there isn’t much that doctors can do to repair the damage. But a new study may help improve the outcomes, with researchers from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) showing … Continue reading Injectable scaffolds help repair nerves after spinal injuries

New evidence stem cell therapy helps spinal injury patients

A detailed analysis of 13 case histories has found intravenous injections of stem cells lead to substantial motor function improvements in patients suffering spinal cord injury. The research also suggests the novel therapy is safe, with no major advers… Continue reading New evidence stem cell therapy helps spinal injury patients

Designer protein helps paralyzed mice walk again in breakthrough study

In a new study, German scientists have restored the ability to walk in mice that had been paralyzed after a complete spinal cord injury. The team created a “designer” signaling protein and injected it into the animals’ brains, stimulating their nerve c… Continue reading Designer protein helps paralyzed mice walk again in breakthrough study

Spinal cord stimulation relieves chronic pain and symptoms of Parkinson’s

Stimulation of the spinal cord offers a potential new pathway in the treatment of Parkinson's disease

Using implants to electrically stimulate the spinal cord is a clinically approved way to treat chronic pain, and recently scientists have been exploring what these devices could mean for Parkinson’s patients. The authors of a new study have found that the technique can not only reduce pain in these subjects where other treatments have failed, but it also improved motor symptoms in almost three quarters of the patients tested.

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Synthetic molecules repair mouse brain function lost to disease and injury

Newly created synthetic molecules could help repair brain connections lost to disease or injury

The brain is an incredibly complex network of connections, but in some neurological disorders those connections can be lost. Researchers from the UK, Germany and Japan have now created synthetic molecules that may be able to help patch them up, with tests in cultured cells and mice showing promise in treating disease and injury.

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Natural enzyme re-engineered to tackle stroke and spinal cord damage

When nerve cells become damaged through a severe injury such as spinal cord damage or a stroke, the body’s natural defences go to work to limit the damage. This forms what is known as a glial scar, which protects against further injury but can impede l… Continue reading Natural enzyme re-engineered to tackle stroke and spinal cord damage

Molecule injections help repair spinal cord injuries in mice

While the majority of tissues in the human body can regenerate after injury, some of the most important ones can’t. That includes axons, the long nerve fibers that pass signals between neurons. But now, researchers at Temple University have found that … Continue reading Molecule injections help repair spinal cord injuries in mice

Blood pressure drug may prevent spasms caused by spinal cord injury

One of the serious and enduring side effects of a spinal cord injury can be the gradual development of regular muscle spasms, something that afflicts around 70 percent of sufferers, according to researchers at the University of Copenhagen. These scient… Continue reading Blood pressure drug may prevent spasms caused by spinal cord injury

New technique both refills and patches herniated discs

Not only are herniated discs painful and debilitating, but treatments for them leave something to be desired. A new technique, however, may be more effective than anything that’s come before.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical, ScienceTags: Spinal, Treat… Continue reading New technique both refills and patches herniated discs

Injected after accidents, nanoparticles could prevent paralysis

When a spinal cord injury occurs, sometimes it’s the body’s own immune system that causes the subsequent paralysis. In the not-too-distant future, however, it’s possible that an injection of nanoparticles at the injury site may be able to rei… Continue reading Injected after accidents, nanoparticles could prevent paralysis