Locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury: intimate dependence between axonal regeneration and re-connection

Traumatic spinal cord injuries disrupt the connection between the brain and spinal cord neurons, leading to impaired movement. Scientists are exploring therapies focused on axon regeneration to restore locomotor activity. While axon regeneration is crucial, it's not enough for recovery. The re-connection of these axons with specific neuronal targets in the spinal cord is also essential to restore function. Netrin-1, a developmental axon guidance cue, has shown promise in promoting axonal regeneration and synaptic re-connection after spinal cord injury, leading to locomotor recovery in treated rats.

• 1
  Netrin-1 promotes significant regeneration of axonal tracts localized at the white matter segment across the transected area.
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  Regenerated axons exhibit trans-synaptic interactions with their targets below the injury, preventing trans-synaptic degeneration of spinal neurons.
• 3
  Locomotor recovery is dependent on the regeneration and re-connection of axons, not compensatory responses below the lesion site.