Scientists Regrow Severed Spinal Cords In Rats

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 - 14:00 in Health & Medicine

Healthy Rat A rat with spinal cord intact. Wikimedia Commons Neuroscientists surgically and chemically reconnect rats' severed spinal cords, recovering the rats' bladder control. Scientists have found a way to reconnect severed spinal cords in rats, allowing them to regain bladder control--a major accomplishment that could one day help humans with similar nervous system injuries recover lost abilities. The spinal cord is the root of all bodily nerves, with an intimate, direct connection to the brain; together, they comprise the central nervous system. Severe injuries to the spinal cord are drastic and were long presumed to be irreparable. In many cases they result in a loss of bodily functions and permanent paralysis. The intriguing thing is that the spinal cord actually attempts to repair itself. Yet due to several factors which are still not entirely understood, natural regeneration stops shortly after it begins. Over the last 30 years, scientists have worked to chemically encourage...

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