About Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord mediates messages between the brain and the body. It is continuous with the brainstem and is housed within the vertebrae, running down the spinal column and ending in nerves reaching out to the periphery.

The spinal cord is a highly complex central nervous system structure that coordinates, disseminates and carries out motor and sensory directives. It plays a fundamental role in movement, and we aim to help uncover its mechanisms, especially those mechanisms that are implicated in SCI.

Spinal Cord Injury

The primary effect of spinal cord injury is the disruption of the messages between the brain and the body. The injury can be traumatic, such as from a car accident. In this type of injury, a strong force damages or moves the spinal vertebrae in such a way that the space within the vertebrae is compromised. This space is where the spinal cord is found, and when it is compromised, a traumatic injury ensues.

Alternatively, the injury can result from a non-traumatic assault to the spinal cord, such as from a spinal tumor. Almost all cases of SCI are from bruising or compression and are very rarely from a complete severing of the spinal cord. This means that in most cases of human SCI, some spinal tracts are not damaged (in other words, they are spared).  These spared tracts could potentially relay information from the periphery to the brain.

The amount of sparing is likely correlated with the amount of recovery experienced by the individual. But even with severe injury, sparing can still occur. This could be therapeutically potentiated by specifically altering spinal excitability.

Spasms and Spasticity

Most people associate spinal cord injury with paralysis or paresis below the injury. However, there are often more complications to consider. The majority of people with SCI also experience uncontrolled involuntary muscle contractions that can cause significant functional deficits, pain and discomfort, and safety issues. These muscle contractions, or spasms, often develop later.

As time progresses and the injury becomes chronic, the spasms become more pronounced. These spasms are related to altered excitability levels in neurons within the spinal cord following injury. We believe that a deeper understanding of the changing neuronal excitability landscape is crucial to improving functional outcomes in both complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries. 

For more information about spinal cord injury, check out the NIH's guide to spinal cord injury and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's guide to treatment steps.