New research presented at Physiatry ’23
Tag: Spinal Cord
Pair of Studies Uncover Surprising New Roles for Spinal Cord and Brainstem in Touch
New research suggests spinal cord and brainstem are essential for processing touch signals as they travel to the brain
After Nationwide Search, Three Sub-Specialty Physicians Join Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute
“We selected physicians with years of education, extensive experience and sub-specialty training to expand our services and to strengthen our existing programs,” said Sara Cuccurullo, M.D., chair, vice president and medical director of JFK Johnson. “We wanted physicians not only with the training but also with the passion to work in their specialized fields. These committed doctors made our decisions easy.”
Neural pathway key to sensation of pleasant touch identified
Researchers from the Washington University Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders have identified a specific neuropeptide and a neural circuit that transmit pleasant touch from the skin to the brain. The findings eventually may help scientists better understand and treat disorders characterized by touch avoidance and impaired social development.
What You Need to Know About Revision Spine Surgery
Spine surgery may sound scary, but for many people living with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), revision spine surgery is a welcomed procedure that may improve their quality of life in ways they have not experienced in years.
Injectable Porous Scaffolds Promote Better, Quicker Healing After Spinal Cord Injuries
In APL Bioengineering, researchers have developed materials that can interface with an injured spinal cord and provide a scaffolding to facilitate healing. To do this, scaffolding materials need to mimic the natural spinal cord tissue, so they can be readily populated by native cells in the spinal cord, essentially filling in gaps left by injury. The researchers show how the pores improve efficiency of gene therapies administered locally to the injured tissues, which can further promote tissue regeneration.
Could a New Cell Type Discovery Lead to Better Chronic Pain Treatments?
Inflammation is a hallmark of chronic pain, and scientists at the UNC School of Medicine have discovered that anti-inflammatory cells called MRC1+ macrophages are dysfunctional in an animal model of neuropathic pain.
Ontario network goes national, to improve care for all Spinal Cord Injury patients – regardless of where they live
An Ontario network of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) rehabilitation sites and patient partners, committed to raising the standard of SCI rehabilitation care, is expanding across Canada, to ensure equitable, optimal care for all patients, regardless of where they live.
Immersive virtual reality boosts the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain
For patients receiving spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic pain, integration with an immersive virtual reality (VR) system – allowing patients to see as well as feel the effects of electrical stimulation on a virtual image of their own body – can enhance the pain-relieving effectiveness of SCS, reports a study in PAIN®, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
Spinal Cord Contributes to Post-injury Walking Recovery in Cats
Article title: Recovery of locomotion in cats after severe contusion of the low thoracic spinal cord Authors: Hugo Delivet-Mongrain, Melvin Dea, Jean-Pierre Gossard, Serge Rossignol From the authors: “The main findings of this study show that after a very large damage following…
Spinal cord injuries: Scientists probe individual cells to find better treatments
Two top scientists are seeking answers to questions about spinal cord injuries that have long frustrated the development of effective treatments.
Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder – PAIN Reports® Presents Update on Rare Neurological Disorder
Imagine living with unwanted sexual arousals, occurring unexpectedly and repeatedly, unrelated to any sexual desire or pleasure. That’s the situation for women with a rare and disabling condition called persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD), according to a case series in PAIN Reports®, the official open-access journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
The long road of recovery after spinal cord damage
The U.S. Department of Defense recently awarded researchers from MetroHealth Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University more than $800,000 to study the experiences and needs of veterans and civilians who have suffered spinal cord injuries.