Publication

A review of emerging neuroprotective and neuroregenerative therapies in traumatic spinal cord injury.

Journal Paper/Review - Sep 11, 2021

Units
PubMed
Doi
Contact

Citation
Hejrati N, Fehlings M. A review of emerging neuroprotective and neuroregenerative therapies in traumatic spinal cord injury. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 60:331-340.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 60
Publication Date
Sep 11, 2021
Issn Electronic
1471-4973
Pages
331-340
Brief description/objective

Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) have far-reaching physical, social, and financial consequences. While medical advancements have improved supportive therapeutic measures for SCI patients, no effective neuroregenerative therapeutic options exist to date. Instead, the paradigm of SCI therapy is inevitably directed towards damage control rather than the restoration of a state of functional independence. Facing a continuous increase in the prevalence of spinal cord injured patients, neuroprotective and neuroregenerative strategies have earned tremendous scientific interest. This review intends to provide a robust summary of the most promising neuroprotective and neuroregenerative therapies currently under investigation. While we highlight encouraging neuroprotective strategies as well, the focus of this review lies on neuroregenerative therapies, including neuropharmacological and cell-based approaches. We finally point to the exciting investigational areas of biomaterial scaffolds and neuromodulation therapies.