Open AccessMolecular approaches for spinal cord injury treatment
Author(s) -
Fernanda Martins de Almeida,
SuelenAdriani Marques,
Anne Caroline Rodrigues dos Santos,
CaioAndrade Prins,
Fellipe Soares dos Santos Cardoso,
Luiza dos Santos Heringer,
HenriqueRocha Mendonça,
Ana Maria Blanco Martínez
Publication year - 2023
Publication title -
neural regeneration research/neural regeneration research
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.93
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1876-7958
pISSN - 1673-5374
DOI - 10.4103/1673-5374.344830
Subject(s) - spinal cord injury , spinal cord , medicine , neuroscience , axon , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , neurotrophic factors , biology , anatomy , psychiatry , receptor
Injuries to the spinal cord result in permanent disabilities that limit daily life activities. The main reasons for these poor outcomes are the limited regenerative capacity of central neurons and the inhibitory milieu that is established upon traumatic injuries. Despite decades of research, there is still no efficient treatment for spinal cord injury. Many strategies are tested in preclinical studies that focus on ameliorating the functional outcomes after spinal cord injury. Among these, molecular compounds are currently being used for neurological recovery, with promising results. These molecules target the axon collapsed growth cone, the inhibitory microenvironment, the survival of neurons and glial cells, and the re-establishment of lost connections. In this review we focused on molecules that are being used, either in preclinical or clinical studies, to treat spinal cord injuries, such as drugs, growth and neurotrophic factors, enzymes, and purines. The mechanisms of action of these molecules are discussed, considering traumatic spinal cord injury in rodents and humans.