Health Headlines: Spinal cord injury breakthrough

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic have taken a step forward in the treatment of severe spinal cord injuries.

They regrew nerve cells across the site of the injury in paralyzed adult rats and restored the animals' bladder function.

The study appears in the June 26 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

This step means scientists might be able to restore other bodily functions after an injury.

When the spinal cord is injured, nerves in the brain are disconnected from cells in the cord that control the bladder and the urethra.

When the body scars after the injury, it slows the growth of severed nerve fibers and results in the permanent loss of bladder control.

Scientists paired a chemical to promote cell growth with a scar-busting enzyme to create a more hospitable environment for the nerves at the injury site.

The enzyme chondroitinase and the chemical called fibroblast growth were used in this study.

Months after the procedure was performed on rats, they resumed bladder function.

Scientists do caution that several challenges must be met before this type of therapy could be tested in people.

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Health Headlines: Spinal cord injury breakthrough