Bunge (2001): Bridging areas of injury in the spinal cord

[Wise Young]

• Bunge MB (2001). Bridging areas of injury in the spinal cord. Neuroscientist. 7 (4): 325-39. Summary: There is a devastating loss of function when substantial numbers of axons are interrupted by injury to the spinal cord. This loss may be eventually reversed by providing bridging prostheses that will enable axons to regrow across the injury site and enter the spinal cord beyond. This review addresses the bridging strategies that are being developed in a number of spinal cord lesion models: complete and partial transection and cavities arising from contusion. Bridges containing peripheral nerve, Schwann cells, olfactory ensheathing glia, fetal tissue, stem cells/neuronal precursor cells, and macrophages are being evaluated as is the administration of neurotrophic factors, administered by infusion or secreted by genetically engineered cells. Biomaterials may be an important factor in developing successful strategies. Due to the complexity of the sequelae following spinal cord injury, no one strategy will be effective. The compelling question today is: What combinations of the strategies discussed, or new ones, along with an initial neuroprotective treatment, will substantially improve outcome after spinal cord injury? <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?db=m&form=6&dopt=r&uid=11488398> The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33101, USA. mbunge@miami.edu

[This message was edited by Wise Young on September 23, 2001 at 10:40 PM.]

[Wise Young]

This is of course an artlcle from Mary Bunge, the person who started off much of the field in bridging the spinal cord with artificial and cell bridges. She discusses the many cells and biomaterials that have shown some promise and also points out the need for neuroprotective therapy when the bridges are placed. Her group showed that methylprednisolone seems to help facilitate regeneration when it is given at the time of bridge implantation. Wise.