Category Archives: Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

WEST ORANGE, NJ--(Marketwire - Feb 12, 2013) - Jeanne M. Zanca, PhD, MPT, has assumed the position of senior research scientist at Kessler Foundation. Dr. Zanca joined Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) & Outcomes Assessment Research on January 28, 2013, reporting to director Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD. "Dr. Zanca is an accomplished scientist who adds an important dimension to spinal cord research at Kessler Foundation," said Rodger DeRose, president and CEO. "Her expertise enables us to extend our clinical research and supports the mission of our SCI Model System center, the Northern New Jersey SCI System (NNJSCIS)." Dr. Zanca is a co-investigator for the NNJSCIS and will lead efforts to disseminate research findings. "With the scope of the Foundation's research, the expertise of its dedicated scientists, and its wealth of collaborative projects, there are many opportunities to contribute to advances in rehabilitation research," noted Dr. Zanca. "I am pleased to be a part of those efforts." Her interests include the prevention and treatment of secondary complications, promotion of health and function through innovative rehabilitation interventions and assistive technology, and the development of a system for classifying rehabilitation interventions. Dr. Zanca joined the Foundation from The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she … Continue reading →

By Katie Euphrat Above: Recovering from a spinal cord injury can be extremely difficult. Physical therapy and other interventions can help. But despite those efforts, some people are left with paralyzed or spastic limbs. A unique type of surgery offers hope to these patients. KPBS Health Reporter Kenny Goldberg says the procedure can produce some miraculous results. Some of the scenes included in this video are graphic. SAN DIEGO Recovering from a spinal cord injury can be extremely difficult. Physical therapy and other interventions can help. But despite those efforts, some people are left with paralyzed or spastic limbs. In July 2008, Rick Constantine was involved in a head-on car crash in Las Vegas. The accident left him paralyzed on his right side. Despite surgery to ease the pressure on his spine, and numerous physical therapy sessions, his condition just didnt improve much. Doctors told Constantine hed never walk again. But they were wrong. Constantine not only can get up out of his wheelchair under his own power, he can also walk without a cane. In August 2005, Steve Isetts was riding his mountain bike in Escondidos Daley Ranch. He swerved to dodge something on the trail, and wiped out. … Continue reading →

ARDSLEY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (ACOR) announced data from studies showing that Glial Growth Factor 2 (GGF2) can enhance recovery of sensorimotor function in a preclinical model of stroke. The studies expand on an existing body of preclinical work examining GGF2 in stroke, and specifically explored various doses and frequency of administration to assess optimal treatment regimens. The data were featured as a late-breaking poster presentation at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference in Honolulu, HI. These data confirm earlier preclinical study results showing that GGF2 can improve recovery of function following stroke. They also provide valuable information about varying dosing regimens that will contribute to the further development of GGF2, said Anthony Caggiano, M.D., Ph.D., Acordas Vice President of Research and Development. Previous studies have shown that GGF2 can be effective in restoring function when initiating therapy as long as seven days following a stroke. Currently approved stroke interventions need to be administered within a few hours of an event, which limits therapy to a small minority of people who experience a stroke. Early data on GGF2 suggest a longer time window to administer treatment, which represents a potentially critical advance. The poster, entitled Optimized … Continue reading →

ARDSLEY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (ACOR) today announced that it will host a conference call and live webcast to report its fourth quarter and full year 2012 financial results on Wednesday, February 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET. To participate in the conference call, please dial 866-356-3095 (domestic) or 617-597-5391 (international) and reference the access code 66159419. The presentation will be available via a live webcast on the Investors section of http://www.acorda.com. Please log in approximately 5 minutes before the scheduled time of the presentation to ensure a timely connection. A replay of the call will be available from 10:30 a.m. ET on February 13, 2013 until midnight on March 13, 2013. To access the replay, please dial 888-286-8010 (domestic) or 617-801-6888 (international) and reference the access code 55654711. An archived version of the webcast will be available for 30 days in the Investor Relations section of the Acorda website at http://www.acorda.com. About Acorda Therapeutics Acorda Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing therapies that restore function and improve the lives of people with MS, spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions. Acorda markets AMPYRA (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg, in the United States as a treatment to … Continue reading →

Public release date: 5-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Carolann Murphy cmurphy@kesslerfoundation.org 973-324-8382 Kessler Foundation West Orange, NJ. February 4, 2013. The final phase of the SCIRehab Project (Phase 3) was published in the November 2012 issue of the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine (JSCM). Nine papers comprised the Special Issue: Relationship of Inpatient Rehabilitation Interventions to Outcomes Following Spinal Cord Injury. Guest editors: J. Scott Richards, Gale Whiteneck, Daniel Lammertse, Marcel Dijkers, and Julie Gassaway. Key article available for free download via ingentaconnect.com: Whiteneck G, Gassaway J. The SCIRehab Project: What rehabilitation interventions are most strongly associated with positive outcomes after spinal cord injury? Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine 2012;35(6): 482-483. The SCIRehab Project Phase 1 and Phase 2 articles were published in JSCM in June 2009 and March 2011, respectively. The Project was funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation, Research Office of Rehabilitative Services, US Department of Education, to Craig Hospital (H133A060103 and H133N060005), The Mount Sinai School of Medicine (H133N060027), the National Rehabilitation Hospital (H133N060028), Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (H133N060014) and to Shepherd Center (H133N060009), and Carolinas Rehabilitation. The SCIRehab Project used practice-based evidence research methodology to investigate inpatient rehabilitation practices for … Continue reading →

Jan. 28, 2013 Unlike the brain and spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system has an astonishing capacity for regeneration following injury. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine in Gttingen have discovered that, following nerve damage, peripheral glial cells produce the growth factor neuregulin1, which makes an important contribution to the regeneration of damaged nerves. From their cell bodies to their terminals in muscle or skin, neuronal extensions or axons in the peripheral nervous system are surrounded along their entire length by glial cells. These cells, which are known as Schwann cells, envelop the axons with an insulating sheath called myelin, which enables the rapid transmission of electrical impulses. Following injury to a peripheral nerve, the damaged axons degenerate. After a few weeks, however, they regenerate and are then recovered with myelin by the Schwann cells. For thus far unexplained reasons, however, the Schwann cells do not manage to regenerate the myelin sheaths completely. Thus the function of damaged nerves often remains permanently impaired and certain muscles remain paralysed in affected patients. In a current research study, the scientists have succeeded in showing that the growth factor neuregulin1 supports nerve repair and the redevelopment of the myelin layer. … Continue reading →

ROSEMONT, Ill., Jan. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Currently there is no effective treatment used in clinical practice for patients with an injured spinal cord. However, a group of orthopaedic scientists have recently discovered that the administration of microRNA-210 could be an effective treatment for an injured spinal cord by promoting regeneration following injury. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/MM45506LOGO) Previously, microRNA-210 has been studied as an effective treatment for cancer and other diseases. Scientists noted that there was an absence of this particular gene in cancerous tumors, but it was found in abundance in healthy tissue. By delivering what was missing directly to the diseased tumor, scientists were able to stop the progression of the disease. Other scientists, however, noted that microRNA has the possibility to actually promote the growth of certain cancers. Dr. Satoshi Ujigo from Hiroshima University in Japan and his colleagues applied this same theory to injured spinal cords hoping for similar results. His work was recently presented at the Orthopaedic Research Society's (ORS) 2013 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas this January. Dr. Ujigo and his colleagues administrated miR-210 to a group of mice directly at the sight of the injured spinal cord. These mice, as well as those in … Continue reading →

Advertisement Feature British solicitor repeats call for greater SCI victim care after Lords AGM Spinal cord injuries are life-changers and the standard of treatment for sufferers in the UK has been described as unacceptable by one of the countrys most esteemed solicitors. John Spencer first spoke out against negligence in care for SCI victims during the summer of 2012. His concerns were ignited following an AGM at the House of Lords on the subject, where sufferers spoke of their post-injury struggles and revealed to Spencer just how low the level of care for SCI victims actually is in Britain today. Months down the line, a follow up meeting was held. This time, Spencers colleague and Chief Operating Officer, Allison OReilly attended in Johns absence and was equally moved by what she heard on the day particularly from one of the suffering speakers: Roger Hearn spoke about his injury sustained on a cricket tour in India. Like many others unable to afford the cost of private treatment, Mr Hearn was forced to live in a care home. He spoke of his experiences in the home, explaining how as soon as nursing staff were familiar with his needs, they could suddenly move … Continue reading →

Buy This Photo Alexandra Bedard and her father, Marc, attend Friday night's Texas Hold'em benefit for the York 23-year-old, who suffered a serious spinal cord injury in a 2011 motorcycle crash.Molly McPherson photo YORK, Maine The American Legion Post 56 was flush with nearly 50 serious Texas Hold'em poker players who were participating in a tournament to help raise funds for a young York mother's treatment for a serious spinal injury. Alexandra Bedard, 23, who was paralyzed in 2011 after she was involved in a motorcycle accident as a passenger, needs to eventually raise more than $100,000 to continue her therapy at Project Walk, a spinal cord injury recovery center in Carlsbad, Calif. Bedard spent 21 days at the center last December to evaluate her injuries and start her treatment plan; however, she was forced to return home prematurely due to lack of funds. By combining Friday night's proceeds with the $22,000 previously raised, Captain Gary Woods of the York Beach Fire Department said it would be possible for Bedard to continue her treatment as soon as February. Woods, a family friend who is leading the fund-raising efforts on behalf of the former York Beach Junior Firefighter, said it was … Continue reading →

TYNGSBORO (CBS) You can tell from high flying jumps on YouTube, 17-year-old Jack Trottier knows how to snowboard. Hes gone off 50-foot jumps. Something like this you never thought would happen. Its just an accident, his dad Bill Trottier said. He says last week his son was snowboarding with some friends at a neighbors house in Tyngsboro, when he went of a two-foot jump and landed the wrong way. He went off one of the jumps and lost his balance and came down on the side of his neck and shoulder, Bill said. Even though Jack was wearing his helmet, he suffered a severe spinal cord injury and is now paralyzed from the chest down. He cant move his legs or his arms, Bill said. Jack is now on his way to undergo intense therapy at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Its the same place where Norwood hockey player Matt Brown received treatment for his injury. Jack not only loved snowboarding, but he also was a star athlete at Tyngsboro High School. He was the starting quarterback as junior and led his team to a 10-2 record last season. He is our leader. He was the guy who had the … Continue reading →