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Spinal Cord Injury Research Paper

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Spinal cord injuries are characterized by two distinct injury phases. The primary injury phase is represented by all the tissue directly damaged at the time of injury. The damage seen in this phase is primarily shearing of cells, destruction of local vasculature, and severe disruption of spinal cord function. The secondary injury phase is characterized by inflammation of the injury site, immune-mediated tissue destruction, and edema formation at the lesion site. The nature of spinal cord injuries makes the damage done by the primary injury irreversible. The majority of therapeutic research is done with the intention of lessening the damage done during the secondary injury phase. One major complication faced by researchers trying to control the secondary injury phase is the localized destruction of vasculature. Without a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, many of the cells in the spinal cord will begin to die rapidly, oftentimes releasing biological signals that encourage other cells to die as well. The uncontrolled movement of fluid into the lesion site causes the tissue to swell, further complicating the processes of rebuilding vasculature. The movement of immune …show more content…

There is strong evidence that administration of VEGF in contused subjects helps recovery of fine motor skills, reduction of lesion tissue loss, prevention of excessive cell death in neurons, and remyelination of oligodendrocytes8. The ability of VEGF to promote neural plasticity is a double edged sword, however. The same mechanisms are implicated in the induction of neuropathic pain following contusive injury9. Administration of VEGF also increases the permeability of the blood-spinal cord barrier following injury, increasing the influx of oxygenated blood to the injury site. While this may be beneficial to some extent, the simultaneous influx of immune cells attenuates the secondary injury

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