Scientists coax nerve fibers to regrow after spinal cord injury

Source: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Posted: July 17, 2006

Summary:

In tests on rats, researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan have developed a treatment that helps spinal cord nerves regrow after injury. The study has implications for treating people who may face amputation of an arm after a violent injury in which nerves are wrenched from the spinal cord. The new treatment currently is under study for other types of traumatic spinal cord injury.

Commentary: Hopefully this finding will provide researchers with new strategies about how they might use stem cells to regenerate spinal cord nerves in patients with spinal cord injuries. Maybe these results will also be able to be applied to stroke, Parkinson's Disease and other neurological conditions.