Research update: Meet the spinal cord injury pioneers

NR Times updates on the latest breakthroughs in spinal cord injury treatments and approaches.

According to the World Health Organisation, between 250,000 and 500,000 people suffer from spinal cord injury every year; the majority are due to preventable causes such as road traffic crashes, falls or violence.

For most patients, SCI results in permanent disability and there is no known way to reverse damage to the spinal cord.

However, researchers are continually working on new treatments, including prostheses, wearables and medications, which may promote regeneration of nerve cells or improve the function of the nerves that remain after an SCI.

In recent months, developments in electrical spinal stimulation, AI-enabled tech, orally available drugs and gene therapy are offering a vision of a future with better treatments for patients suffering from spinal cord injury.