Permanent neurological impairments can occur after spinal cord injury (SCI) due to the failure of the spinal cord motor and sensory axons to regenerate.
This is because the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), unlike in some amphibians and reptiles, has inhibitory molecules blocking growth post-development, as well as the lack of an effective regenerative response system. Within the peripheral nervous system (PNS), there is some limited axonal recovery that can occur naturally.
Increasing Axon Regeneration CapacityIncreasing the natural intrinsic regenerative ability of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons can be achieved by conditioning injury within the peripheral nerves of the CNS, such as the sciatic nerve. Doing this allows the upregulation of regeneration-associated genes (RAGs) that can drive an increased potential for nerve regeneration of DRG neurons after a CNS injury.
This, however, whilst powerful for understating the mechanism of axonal regeneration in experimental animal models, is not a clinically viable option for humans.
Proprioceptive afferent feedback (from sensory DRG neurons) can modulate motor outputs within the spinal cord via the production of molecular cues. The feedback influences the adjustment and refinement of motor learning and movement. As such, this feedback can also play a critical role in directing motor recovery post-SCI. Indeed both clinical and animal studies stimulating proprioceptive afferents electrically have demonstrated enhanced motor recovery and neuroplasticity after SCI.
Increasing Axon Regeneration CapacityIncreasing the natural intrinsic regenerative ability of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons can be achieved by conditioning injury within the peripheral nerves of the CNS, such as the sciatic nerve. Doing this allows the upregulation of regeneration-associated genes (RAGs) that can drive an increased potential for nerve regeneration of DRG neurons after a CNS injury.
This, however, whilst powerful for understating the mechanism of axonal regeneration in experimental animal models, is not a clinically viable option for humans.
Proprioceptive afferent feedback (from sensory DRG neurons) can modulate motor outputs within the spinal cord via the production of molecular cues. The feedback influences the adjustment and refinement of motor learning and movement. As such, this feedback can also play a critical role in directing motor recovery post-SCI. Indeed both clinical and animal studies stimulating proprioceptive afferents electrically have demonstrated enhanced motor recovery and neuroplasticity after SCI.
