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SPINAL CORD INJURY

A brainstem bypass for spinal cord injury

Nature Neuroscience volume 21, pages 457–458 (2018)Cite this article

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Spinal cord injury disrupts connectivity between the brain and the body. With electrochemical neuromodulation and intensive rehabilitation training, the cortex can functionally connect with spinal circuits below injury by relaying signals through the brainstem.

In a split second, spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. This disruption, and the subsequent failure of the CNS to regenerate lost cells and connections, leads to paralysis. While effective therapies targeting axon regeneration have not yet been established1, in recent years, the combination of rehabilitation training with neuromodulatory strategies has shown promise2. These strategies hinge on the premise that, even in cases of severe SCI, there are residual circuits that can be enticed to form new, meaningful connections to recover some function. However, the identity of these circuits has remained elusive.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Axon Growth and Regeneration, German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany

    Brett J Hilton

  2. International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Depts of Zoology and Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Wolfram Tetzlaff

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  1. Brett J Hilton
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  2. Wolfram Tetzlaff
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Correspondence to Brett J Hilton or Wolfram Tetzlaff.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Hilton, B.J., Tetzlaff, W. A brainstem bypass for spinal cord injury. Nat Neurosci 21, 457–458 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-018-0099-z

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