Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and related catastrophic CNS
injuries are major socioeconomic problems in the United States, and
there are no current treatments or cures. Although most research groups
study the acute phase of injury, Kennedy Krieger’s International Center
for Spinal Cord Injury (ICSCI) is developing and applying treatments
for individuals suffering from long-standing SCI. Our central focus is
Activity-Based Restoration Therapies (RT), which have been shown to
reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and to lower the
incidence of the medical complications of SCI. Improving the general
health of the SCI population is crucial; but recent research from our
group and others has raised the captivating idea that these therapies
may enhance neural activity in regions of the nervous system that
become dormant after SCI and in doing so lay the groundwork for
anatomical regeneration of the spinal cord and subsequent functional
recovery (movement and sensation).
To begin to understand just how ABRT impacts recovery of function, we undertook a small clinical trial of 48 individuals suffering from injuries of different magnitudes (ASIA A-D) and at different levels (cervical and thoracic). All individuals were more than 1.5 years out from the initial injury. After participation in RT for at least 6 months, patients experienced marked improvements in motor and sensory test scores, increased muscle mass and strength and a significant decrease in spasticity, the chronic contraction of muscles that is an unpleasant consequence of SCI. Results from this study indicate that RT in chronic SCI is associated with substantial physical integrity and functional benefits thereby offering a glimpse of hope to the injured individual.