NEUROBIOLOGY OF SPINAL-CORD INJURY AND EX PERIMENTAL THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS

During the last decade, animal experimentation has provided major insi ghts into the neurobiology of CNS trauma. Some cellular and molecular mechanisms which contribute to the failure of functionally significant regeneration of severed central axons have been identified. As a resp onse to axotomy, some CNS neurons degenerate, whereas others display a limited regenerative capacity. Moreover, growth of transected CNS ner ve fibres is prevented by several glial-derived molecules as well as b y inflammatory processes and mesenchymal scar formation. Current thera peutic strategies in animal models, which interfere with these mechani sms, have yielded partial success in axonal sprouting, reinnervation a nd functional recovery following CNS lesions. However, it is unlikely that these experimental advances will be transfered to the clinical si tuation in the near future. In addition to numerous technical obstacle s, the development of clinical treatments is hampered by limited knowl edge of the reorganization of intact remaining neuronal systems follow ing a CNS lesion, which interact with therapeutically induced restorat ive events. In this context, synaptic modifications on partially dener vated neurons are of particular interest. This brief review summarizes some recent findings in the field of experimental neurotrauma researc h with particular emphasis on spinal cord injury.