Spinal cord injury (SCI) research has progressed in the last 20 years and, while there still isn’t a treatment that fully repairs the spinal cord, there are many projects looking at what can be done to help improve function and also address the secondary complications of an SCI, such as bowel and bladder dysfunction and pain.
With developments continuing to prosper, we are excited to see what unfolds next.
In this article, we discuss just some of the groundbreaking research which could change the lives of many people dealing with a spinal cord injury.
In the news
In March 2020, innovative research at the University of Aberdeen paved the way for patients with damaged spinal cords to possibly be able to walk again. The university managed to achieve significant regrowth of injured spinal nerves in rats when they activated a specific molecule found in nerve cells.
Dr Wenlong Huang, Dr Alba Guijarro-Belmar and De Derryck Shewan from the Institute of Medical Sciences at the university discovered that activation of a molecule called Epac2 resulted in significant improvement in the regrowth of nerves that had been severed following spinal cord injury.
This was the first time that activation of Epac2 had been found to stimulate nerve growth following spinal cord injury. The researchers modelled human spinal cord injury in rat nerve cells in a cell-culture dish. The treatment was then delivered using hydrogel, which is a dual-function technique that can carry treatments to a specific area, providing a physical scaffold to support injured nerves across an injury site.
Not only did Epac2 enhance growth, but the researchers also discovered that it changed the internal environment of the injury, making it more conducive to nerve regrowth and overall healing.
Epidural stimulation therapy
One of the key, most exciting developments in spinal cord injury research is epidural stimulation, which was a study discovered by Dr Susan Harkema at the University of Kentucky. Epidural stimulation for spinal cord injury is something that has come to light in recent years with both those who sustain a spinal cord injury and researchers.
This type of rehabilitative study involves using electrical currents on the lower spinal cord to help stimulate nerves directly by bypassing the traditional brain-spinal cord pathways. Although this type of research has increasingly been used on animals, human-focused studies have been a much slower process.
Epidural stimulation is not considered a ‘cure’’ for spinal cord injuries, and an official cure is still yet to exist. However, it is a step forward to further understand what a spinal cord injury and related treatments involve.
Developments overseas
After a spinal cord injury, a lot of patients will have physical therapy to help them regain mobility. Over in the United States, a recent series of studies have shown that implanting a stimulator to deliver electric current to a damaged spinal cord could help paralysed patients walk again.
A team of researchers from the Centre of Neurotechnology combined stimulation with standard physical therapy exercises, without requiring surgery for the stimulation. The stimulation process involves small patches that stick to a participant’s skin like a plaster. These patches are placed on the back of the neck where they deliver electrical pulses.
The study included six participants with chronic spinal cord injuries, all of whom had been injured for over a year and a half. Some of those who sustained a spinal cord injury could not wiggle their fingers or thumbs, while others had some mobility at the beginning of the study.
The training programme lasted for five months, and in the first month, participants baseline limb movements were monitored each week. In the second month, the team conducted intensive physical therapy, which occurred three times a week for two hours at a time. For the third month, physical therapy continued – but, this time, with the stimulation added.
Some of the participants regained some hand function during training alone, but all six saw great improvement when stimulation was added in the third month. Other patients found that they recovered a more normal heart rate and better regulation of bladder function and body temperature. After following up with the participants six months after training, the team found that they did not lose these functions when additional stimulation stopped.
Research across the globe
Much of the research across the globe is curated to better understand spinal cord injuries. Countries such as the US, UK, Australia and countries throughout Europe are leading the way.
In the UK, Spinal Research UK is the leading authority. In recent years, they have focused their attention on Neuromodulation. This concept involves implanting electrical devices for drug delivery systems on, or within, the body that modulate the activity of nerves. The team states ‘’We are researching a number of modes of neuromodulation that do not require invasive surgery – and some of the initial results have been promising.’’
A lot of spinal cord research in the US is conducted or funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The focus of the funded research is part of the BRAIN Initiative aims to improve the way we work with SCIs by looking at:
- Brain circuits to gain a greater understanding of the sensory and motor basis of behaviour
- Devices that connect to the nervous system and restore functions lost due to disease or injury
- New brain-computer interface devices
- Improving brain and spinal cord imaging
Basic research using cells and animal models provide an important foundation for developing interventions for spinal cord injury. Current research at NINDS is focused on advancing their understanding of the four key principles of spinal cord injury, including repair and regeneration, neuroprotection, cell-based therapies and retraining the central nervous system.
This is just some of the spinal cord injury research excelling in the industry at the moment and, as time goes on and technology advances, we expect to see further advancements in supporting those who have sustained a spinal cord injury with their recovery process.
When it comes to treatment, much of what can be repaired depends on the level and severity of the spinal cord injury at hand. Currently, if someone has an incomplete spinal cord injury, there are places in the UK that work with newly injured people to see if they can maximise any potential.
However, for those who have a complete spinal injury, it is much more complex. There is still not a treatment available that restores the spinal cord to how it was functioning pre-injury.
If your spinal injury was caused by an accident that was not your fault, then you are well within your rights to seek compensation.
At Aspire Law, we know that all the money in the world will not turn the clock back, but with our help, you can secure a financial settlement with a spinal injury compensation claim, which will help you and your family to maintain a level of independence and enjoy a good standard of living.
For a free and no-obligation discussion, please contact one of our spinal injury solicitors on 0800 030 20 40, or email us at help@aspirelaw.co.uk.
