Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research (SMSR) at the world-renowned National Spinal Injuries Centre in Aylesbury has announced it will fund over £128,000 for a pioneering new study into central neuropathic pain (CNP) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
The funding is provided by SMSR and the charity Spinal Research. Led by St George’s Hospital London, and involving the NSIC Stoke Mandeville, and the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre Stanmore, researchers will embark on a three-year project to explore the effectiveness of a procedure called cingulotomy, a minimally invasive surgical intervention that is able to locate and target a specific region of the brain with pinpoint accuracy, to help hinder overactive nerve pathways which regulate chronic pain in SCI individuals.
Many people every year are devastated by accidents or other conditions that leave them paralysed and facing a multitude of new challenges, with many experiencing complications from their injuries. Central neuropathic pain (CNP), also known as nerve pain, affects 7% of the UK population.
More than 50% of those with spinal cord injury describe it as worse than the injury itself.
CNP persistently interferes with day-to-day living, affecting peoples’ sleep, mental health and wellbeing, as well as their ability to work, study or maintain any kind of social or family life.
Once it develops it remains for life, and often does not respond to treatment, hence the need to find therapeutic options for people living with this condition.Commenting on being awarded funding for the project, Mr Erlick Pereira, consultant neurosurgeon at St George’s University Hospital and lead researcher for the project, said: “Neuropathic pain is very common following spinal cord injury, with significant long-term impact on an individual’s quality of life, functional ability and mental health, as well as increased utilisation of health care resources.
“For some patients, this condition is resistant to existing treatments for CNP and has a devastating effect on their lives and the lives of their families. We are grateful to Spinal Research and Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research for the pledge to fund this project over the next three years and hope that the research will identify cingulotomy as a safe and effective option for patients and provide them with relief.”
SMSR trustee chair, Richard Tolkien said: “We are delighted to fund this important piece of research which aims to establish an effective and safe treatment for people with spinal cord injury who suffer from persistent central neuropathic pain that is resistant to treatment by pain specialists, and where there may be no other options. We hope it will make a real difference to improving the everyday lives of people living with spinal cord injury and the daily complications they may face.
“The award emerged from the first round of calls in SMSR’s recently established grants programme. This programme marks a big step in our approach towards developing research that leads the way in SCI and that has the potential to lead to brand new treatments and therapies for those many people and their families living with SCI day-to-day.”
