New Prophylactic and Therapeutic Strategies for Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) involves damage to the spinal cord caused by trauma or disease that results in compromise or loss of body function. Melatonin is the most efficient and commonly used pharmacological antioxidant treatment for SCI. Neurorehabilitation is a complex medical process that focuses on improving function and repairing damaged connections in the brain and nervous system following injury. Physical activity associated with an active lifestyle reduces the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression In summary, melatonin is a neural protectant, and when combined with therapeutic exercise, the hormone prevents the progression of secondary neuronal degeneration in SCI.

• 1
  Melatonin has been reported to reduce lipid peroxidation levels following injury in animal models of SCI; this may be that because melatonin is a powerful antioxidant itself, and it stimulates other antioxidant enzymes, including catalase, glutathione reductase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase
• 2
  Combined treatment with melatonin and therapeutic exercise has been shown to influence neural regeneration in animal models, although supra-physiological doses are required.
• 3
  Melatonin plus exercise therapy for SCI has a synergistic effect on motor function and is an effective prophylactic against secondary damage caused by neuronal cell death and changes in morphology that occur through proliferation and differentiation of neuronal cells.