A combination therapy of neural and glial restricted precursor cells and chronic quipazine treatment paired with passive cycling promotes quipazine-induced stepping in adult spinalized rats

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2015 · DOI: 10.1179/2045772314Y.0000000274 · Published: January 1, 2015

Spinal Cord Injury Pharmacology Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This research explores a combination of treatments to help recover from complete spinal cord injury (SCI). The combination includes transplanting neural and glial cells, passive exercise, and treatment with quipazine. The study found that rats with SCI showed improved stepping ability when all three treatments were combined. This suggests that this combination can help the spinal cord function better after a complete SCI. Researchers examined whether the treatment led to spinal cord reconnection, but found no evidence of this. This means the improved stepping was due to changes within the spinal cord itself.

Study Duration

12 weeks

Participants

64 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Rats receiving the combination therapy displayed an increased response to quipazine, achieving a BBB score of ≥9 starting at 8 weeks post-injury, which persisted through 12 weeks.
2
The combination therapy group was able to perform uncoordinated weight-supported stepping without body weight support on a treadmill and could support their weight in stance during open field locomotion testing.
3
No regeneration of descending serotonergic projections into and through the lesion cavity was observed, suggesting the functional improvements were due to enhanced spinal circuitry function.

Research Summary

The study investigated a combination therapy involving NRP/GRP cell transplantation, passive cycling, and chronic quipazine administration to promote recovery from complete spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. Results showed that rats receiving the combination therapy exhibited improved locomotor function, including weight-supported stepping, compared to individual treatment groups. The functional improvements were not associated with spinal cord reconnection, indicating that the therapy enhanced the intrinsic capacity of the lumbar spinal cord to support locomotor circuitry.

Practical Implications

Potential for SCI Treatment

The study highlights the potential of combination therapies to improve locomotor function after complete SCI, even without spinal cord regeneration.

Stimulating Spinal Circuitry

The findings suggest that stimulating the lumbar spinal cord with a combination of cellular, pharmacological, and exercise interventions can enhance its capacity to support locomotor circuitry.

Further Research

The study warrants further investigation into optimized timing and specific elements of combination therapies to maximize locomotor recovery in SCI patients.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not be directly applicable to humans.
2
The greatest functional recovery was observed only when the animals were stimulated by drug challenge, thus limiting the combination therapy’s potential for immediate clinical translation.
3
The use of passive cycling is also limited to complete SCI or very severe incomplete models due to possible injury associated with spasticity and hyperactive reflexes.

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