An overview of ongoing research projects in paraplegiology

This study aimed to detect potential impairment of spinal sensory propagation in DCM by comparing PREPs in response to IES (IEEPs) and following contact heat stimulation (CHEPs) with SSEPs, with the latter testing spinal dorsal columns.

In rehabilitation, the ideal outcome assessment should identify the structural or functional mechanisms responsible for the observed behavioural changes. However, performance improvements can result from either recovery or compensatory mechanisms. To date, established outcome measures in clinical settings often do not take into account how functional improvements are achieved. The integration of inertial measurement unit (IMU) technology into gait analysis is therefore a major innovation in the rehabilitation of people with neurological gait disorders.

One of the most commonly encountered complications following spinal cord injury (SCI) is neuropathic pain, a condition that substantially compromises the quality of life for aff ected individuals. Managing neuropathic pain is challenging due to a lack of understanding of the complex pathophysiological mechanisms that cause and maintain this pain condition. Current ongoing projects seek to explore the relationship between the cardiovascular and pain control systems.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to disruptions in functional, microstructural, and vasculature integrity of the spinal cord both at and remote from the lesion. The underlying mechanisms of these changes remain poorly understood and there is no cure for SCI. Our research aims to comprehend SCI-induced impairments, utilizing advanced high and ultra-high-resolution MRI techniques.

Nogo-A antibody treatment improves neurological and functional recovery in acute motor-incomplete cervical spinal cord injuries—a multi-center European randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled phase-II clinical proof of concept trial.