A study being published in the upcoming issue of Reviews in the Neurosciences seeks to prove that animal testing is actually hurting spinal cord injury research as opposed to helping it. The report, written by scientists from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, points to evidence that results in lab rats don’t necessarily translate to results in humans.

A quick glance at their website, however, and it is easy to see their true motive. While the write-up I read presents the case from the perspective of what is best for SCI research, the PCRM are vegans and the true intent is abolish animal testing.

I would be interested in hearing what specific alternatives they suggest, if any. Read the original here.

Scientists at the University of Bristol have been able to block visual recognition memory in rats. This represents a huge step forward in our understanding of how memory works. They have identified a key molecular mechanism that controls synaptic plasticity in the perirhinal cortex. Read more on their findings here.

Constraint Induced therapy, a technique developed by a neuroscientist at University of Alabama at Birmingham, has recently been proven to increase grey matter in stroke survivors. It is thought to hold much promise for treatment of TBI as well. Read more here.

Whether one suffers a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury, stimulation is often one of the keys of recovery. Bioness has developed knee braces that provide direct electronic stimulation of specific nerves and muscles in the legs. Keeping those signals flowing allows muscles to develop while also strengthening existing neural pathways and/or creating new ones. Read more here.

Geron Corporation, who we mentioned in a previous article, has just received a payment of $1.5 million from Exeter Life Sciences, Inc as part of a joint effort between the companies to continue further stem cell research. Geron is expected to be the first US company to complete human stem cell trials for the treatment of spinal cord injury. Read more here.

The FDA is finally taking the first steps toward human trials of embryonic stem cell treatments. They held conferences Thursday and Friday to discuss creating a blueprint for the system. Apparently, their main concern is possible side-effects of the treatments, chiefly the long-term risk of tumors. Geron (http://www.geron.com/) was to submit the first proposal for a clinical trial.
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According to Bill Richards, founder of The Art Studio at the Northeast Center for Special Care, the process of creating art can have a very profound effect on our lives. Since opening the studio nine years ago, Richards has seen the lives of many traumatic brain injury survivors changed by the simple process of painting pictures.

A documentary examining Bill Richards’ art program, entitled Changing Identities, is set to air on Public Television stations across the country this year. The documentary covers three years in the lives of TBI survivors who participated in the art program. Watch as these survivors redefine who they are and come to see themselves not as “disabled” but as artists. Witnessing their metamorphoses is sure to be a powerful experience.

From the article: Alseres Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that on April 15, 2008, Dr. Mark Hurtt, Chief Medical Officer, will discuss the CETHRIN development program as a member of an expert panel on Spinal Cord Injury Research during a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill focused on “Rapid Advancements in Paralysis Research.” In addition, Dr. Hurtt will present interim results of the CETHRIN Phase I/IIa clinical trial in acute spinal cord injury during a plenary session on April 13, 2008 at the “Working 2 Walk” Science and Education Symposium in Washington, DC. Read more here.

As we reported in an early article about Promising SCI Studies, one of the major barriers to proper spinal cord healing is the formation of scar tissue in reaction to the injury. It turns out, hypothermia therapy, which had been regarded as a possible immediate treatment for traumatic brain injury, may also be of use in SCI survivors. Cooling the patient’s body temperature for a period of 2 days or so prevents swelling and slows down the spread of secondary injuries in the spinal cord. Read the original story here.

Does it really work though? From what I’ve read, results in TBI survivors have been inconclusive. I’m not sure how much clinical research has been done on this subject. What do you think?

A new device is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of stroke and other brain injuries.

The hand-held device, called NeuroThera, generates a powerful infra-red laser beam to target damaged areas of the brain through the skull. It is thought that by delivering this concentration of energy to inactive mitochondria, these cells will be reactivated and resume function.

Read the original story here.