From single to combinatorial therapies in spinal cord injuries for structural and functional restoration.

Spinal cord injury results in paralysis, sensory disturbances, sphincter dysfunction, and multiple systemic secondary conditions, most arising from autonomic dysregulation. All this produces profound negative psychosocial implications for affected people, their families, and their communities; the financial costs can be challenging for their families and health institutions. Treatments aimed at restoring the spinal cord after spinal cord injury, which have been tested in animal models or clinical trials, generally seek to counteract one or more of the secondary mechanisms of injury to limit the extent of the initial damage.

Administration of Tamoxifen Can Regulate Changes in Gene Expression during the Acute Phase of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes irreversible damage leading to incapacity. Molecular mechanisms underlying SCI damage are not fully understood, preventing the development of novel therapies. Tamoxifen (TMX) has emerged as a promising therapy.

Aging with spinal cord injury: A narrative review of consequences and challenges.

Given the increase in life expectancy, aging with a pre-existing spinal cord injury (SCI) is becoming more common. This condition is challenging as compromised health status and functional independence can worsen. We aimed to provide an updated overview of the consequences of aging with SCI, highlighting the main challenges facing this population in a narrative review of the current literature we retrieved from the PubMed database from 2000 to 2022 on any aspect related to aging in persons with SCI.

Functional improvement in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury treated with 4-aminopyridine: A systematic review.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Objective: To provide current evidence on the efficacy of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) to bring about functional improvement in individuals with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: The Medline (PubMed), Web of Science and SCOPUS databases were systematically searched for relevant articles on the efficacy of 4-AP to treat SCI, from the dates such articles were first published until May 2022.

[Fingerprints: origin, uses and challenges in the face of its verification failure].

Considering that fingerprints are impressions of the epidermal ridges of the fingers with a unique, unrepeatable, and permanent pattern, they are the basis of the biometric identification method most used today. Among its various uses stand out identification for multiple activities such as authentication to access work and cell phones, operation of bank accounts, criminal investigations, etc. The absence or deterioration of the epidermal ridges, called adermatoglyphia, prevents identification by finger biometrics.

Evaluation of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in a Rat Model Using Tc-GA-5 as a Potential In Vivo Tracer.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to the damage suffered in the spinal cord by any trauma or pathology. The purpose of this work was to determine whether Tc-GA-5, a radiotracer targeting Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), can reveal in vivo the reactivation of astrocytes in a murine model with SCI. A method for the Tc radiolabeling of the mouse anti-GFAP monoclonal antibody GA-5 was implemented.

High-resolution Micro-CT Myelography to Assess Spinal Subarachnoid Space Changes After Spinal Cord Injury in Rats.

Background And Purpose: The spinal subarachnoid space (SSAS) is vital for neurologic function. Although SSAS alterations are known to occur after spinal cord injury (SCI), there is a lack of high-resolution imaging studies of the SSAS after SCI in rodents. Therefore, the aim here was to assess changes in the SSAS of rats subjected to graded SCI, using high-resolution micro-CT myelography.

Single vs. Combined Therapeutic Approaches in Rats With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

The regenerative capability of the central nervous system is limited after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors that inhibit spinal cord regeneration, resulting in deficient functional recovery. It has been shown that strategies, such as pre-degenerated peripheral nerve (PPN) grafts or the use of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) or exogenous molecules, such as chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) promote axonal growth and remyelination, resulting in an improvement in locomotor function. These treatments have been primarily assessed in acute injury models.

Pharmacokinetics and anti-inflammatory effect of naproxen in rats with acute and subacute spinal cord injury.

Previous reports have warned about the influence of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the pharmacokinetics of various drugs. However, the role of SCI in the efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy remains unknown. Thereby, our aim was to explore the role of SCI on pharmacokinetics and anti-inflammatory effect of naproxen in response to a local inflammatory challenge.

Micro-CT myelography using contrast-enhanced digital subtraction: feasibility and initial results in healthy rats.

Purpose: The spinal subarachnoid space (SSAS) is vital for neural performance. Although models of spinal diseases and trauma are used frequently, no methods exist to obtain high-resolution myelograms in rodents. Thereby, our aim was to explore the feasibility of obtaining high-resolution micro-CT myelograms of rats by contrast-enhanced dual-energy (DE) and single-energy (SE) digital subtraction.

Transplantation of Human Neural Progenitor Cells (NPC) into Putamina of Parkinsonian Patients: A Case Series Study, Safety and Efficacy Four Years after Surgery.

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) suffer from motor and mental disturbances due to degeneration of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neuronal systems. Although they provide temporary symptom relief, current treatments fail to control motor and non-motor alterations or to arrest disease progression. Aiming to explore safety and possible motor and neuropsychological benefits of a novel strategy to improve the PD condition, a case series study was designed for brain grafting of human neural progenitor cells (NPCs) to a group of eight patients with moderate PD.

Early Systemic Alterations in Severe Spinal Cord Injury: An Experimental Study on the Impact of Injury Level on Renal Function.

Study Design: An experimental model of spinal cord injury (SCI) intended to characterize changes in renal function.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible influence of SCI level on renal function during spinal shock.

Summary Of Background Data: SCI triggers multiple systemic and metabolic alterations.

Time-dependent changes in paw carrageenan-induced inflammation above and below the level of low thoracic spinal cord injury in rats.

Study Design: This was an animal study.

Objectives: Local inflammation is attenuated below high thoracic SCI, where innervation of major lymphoid organs is involved. However, whether inflammatory responses are affected after low thoracic SCI, remains undetermined.

Creation of an intramedullary cavity by hemorrhagic necrosis removal 24 h after spinal cord contusion in rats for eventual intralesional implantation of restorative materials.

Intramedullary hemorrhagic necrosis occurs early after spinal cord injury at the site of injury and adjacent segments. It is considered harmful because of its potential to aggravate secondary injury, and to interfere with axonal regeneration; it might also lead to an unfavorable environment for intralesional implants. Removal of hemorrhagic necrosis has been attempted before with variable results.

The Morphofunctional Effect of the Transplantation of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells and Predegenerated Peripheral Nerve in Chronic Paraplegic Rat Model via Spinal Cord Transection.

Functional recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI) is limited by poor axonal and cellular regeneration as well as the failure to replace damaged myelin. Employed separately, both the transplantation of the predegenerated peripheral nerve (PPN) and the transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) have been shown to promote the regrowth and remyelination of the damaged central axons in SCI models of hemisection, transection, and contusion injury. With the aim to test the effects of the combined transplantation of PPN and BMSC on regrowth, remyelination, and locomotor function in an adult rat model of spinal cord (SC) transection, 39 Fischer 344 rats underwent SC transection at T9 level.

Temporal changes of spinal subarachnoid space patency after graded spinal cord injury in rats.

Introduction: Disturbances in spinal subarachnoid space (SSAS) patency after SCI have been reported as an incidental finding, but there is a lack of information on its in vivo extent and time course. For substances and cells carried in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to reach damaged neural tissue and promote reparative processes, CSF must be able to flow freely in SASS.

Objective: To characterise the extent and time course of SSAS patency disruption in vivo in a rat model after graded SCI.

A novel, simple and inexpensive procedure for the simultaneous determination of iopamidol and p-aminohippuric acid for renal function assessment from plasma samples in awake rats.

The purpose of the current study was to design, validate and implement a novel analytical method for the simultaneous plasma measurement of iopamidol and p-aminohippuric acid (PAH) to estimate renal function in awake rats. A reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method for the simultaneous measurement of iopamidol (for glomerular filtration rate estimation, GFR) and PAH (for tubular secretion determination, TS) was designed and validated using a C-18 column, 0.1M acetic acid-10% acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase, at a flow rate of 0.

Characterization of spinal subarachnoid bleeding associated to graded traumatic spinal cord injury in the rat.

Study Design: Observational study in rats subjected to traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objectives: To describe the features of spinal subarachnoid bleeding (SSB) occurring after graded SCI. SSB after SCI has been reported previously, but has not been studied systematically despite the fact that cerebral subarachnoid bleeding often produces severe neurological damage.

Superparamagnetic beads for estimation of spinal subarachnoid space permeability in rats.

Background: Human spinal pathological processes have been linked to a loss of spinal subarachnoid space (SSAS) permeability, which has therefore become a target for therapy. Hence, it has become important to measure SSAS patency in rat models of these human disorders.

New Method: The estimation of in vivo rat SSAS patency is described by quantifying passage of streptavidin-covered superparamagnetic beads (SPMB) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Changes in renal function during acute spinal cord injury: implications for pharmacotherapy.

Study Design: Laboratory investigation in rats submitted to experimental spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objective: To characterize changes in renal function during acute SCI.

Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to severe spinal cord contusion at T8 level or to laminectomy as control.

Spatial and temporal morphological changes in the subarachnoid space after graded spinal cord contusion in the rat.

Spontaneous repair or treatment-induced recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) is very limited and might be related to extramedullary alterations that have only briefly been documented. Here we report on the morphological changes of the spinal subarachnoid space (SAS) in a clinically relevant model of SCI. Anesthetized rats were subjected either to mild or severe spinal cord contusion at T9.

Contrasting effects of cord injury on intravenous and oral pharmacokinetics of diclofenac: a drug with intermediate hepatic extraction.

Study Design: Laboratory investigation in rats submitted to experimental spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objective: To determine the effect of acute SCI on the pharmacokinetics of diclofenac, a marker drug of intermediate hepatic extraction, administered by the intravenous and the oral routes.

Methods: Female Wistar rats were submitted to complete section of the spinal cord at the T8 level.

New approach for graded compression spinal cord injuries in Rhesus macaque: method feasibility and preliminary observations.

Background: Current models of spinal cord injury (SCI) have been ineffective for translational research. Primate blunt SCI, which more closely resembles human injury, could be a promising model to fill this gap.

Methods: Graded compression SCI was produced by inflating at T9 an epidural balloon as a function of spinal canal dimensions in a non-uniform group of monkeys.