Research Strikes a New Cord in Spinal Injury Treatment Development

(ARA) - Crushing the lives of approximately 4,000 people in the United States, motor vehicle accidents account for 40 percent of spinal cord injuries (SCI) annually. Falls, acts of violence (primarily gunshot wounds) and recreational sporting activities are the other main causes of this life-altering injury.

SCI primarily captures young adults in its grip, with 53 percent of injuries occurring among individuals age 16 to 30, according to 2003 data compiled by the Spinal Cord Industry Information Network. Eleven thousand annual incidences of SCI are reported in the United States alone.

The good news is that the quality of life for affected individuals around the globe may be improved sooner rather than later due to some new scientific discoveries.

Steps toward a treatment or cure give hope to those whose lives have been shattered by SCI. It also gives hope to the scientists, like Dr. Aileen J. Anderson and others at the Reeve-Irvine Center at the University of California, Irvine, who have spent their careers studying spinal cord and related injuries. This type of research is at the very frontier of medical science.

When spinal cord injuries occur, myelin, a human nerve insulator, is often lost or damaged. The destruction of myelin is also characteristic of other disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Finding a way to regenerate myelin is an important part of SCI and other research and treatment development.

In a collaborative endeavor between Dr. Anderson, Dr. Brian J. Cummings and StemCells, Inc. -- and partially funded by a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS) -- preclinical results using human neural stem cells (hCNS-SC) were evaluated in mice with spinal cord injuries, which may prove helpful in regenerating myelin. The mice showed improved motor function when transplanted with hCNS-SC. Moreover, the degree of functional recovery was directly linked to the level of human cell grafts.

"Our initial data led to the NINDS award. It is exciting science and the possibilities encourage our collaboration with the scientists at StemCells," says Dr. Anderson.

Hope for improved treatment for spinal cord injuries is on the horizon. With StemCells, Inc.'s new discovery, President and CEO Martin McGlynn indicates, "We believe we are moving closer to being able to treat a wide array of diseases and injuries to the brain and spinal cord."

For more information on SCI and hCNS-SC, log on to www.stemcellsinc.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content