Intrinsic Axonal factors in Growth and Regeneration

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When the brain or spinal cord are damaged nerve fibres are cut. In the case of spinal cord injury this disrupts the connection between the brain and the body via the spinal cord. The result is paralysis and loss of sensation below the level of the injury. In order to bring back function to patients it is necessary to stimulate the cut nerve fibres to regenerate. Regeneration is inhibited by the presence of blocking molecules in the spinal cord, by the scar tissue that forms around the injury site. In addition spinal cord nerve fibres have an intrinsically poor ability to regenerate. Treatments are now available to remove some of the inhibition from scar tissue, but these will only be partly effective if the vigour of regeneration of the nerve fibres remains low. Previous research from the Fawcett and Holt laboratories has identified a new way in which the regenerative vigour of the nerve fibres can be boosted. The grant application investigates ways in which this discovery can be made into a treatment for spinal cord injury.