Articles - Questions Families Ask en-us http://www.thescizone.com/info N/A http://www.thescizone.com/info webmaster@thescizone.com 20 http://www.thescizone.com/info/articles/279/1/Do-therapies-have-to-be-applied-shortly-after-injury.html  Several experimental therapies are aimed at restoring function in chronic spinal cord injury, when recovery has stabilized a year or more after injury. These include 4-aminopyridine (a drug that increases excitability of demyelinated axons), porcine fetal stem cell transplants (stem cells from pigs), and olfactory ensheathing glial transplants (cells from the nasal mucosa or from olfactory bulbs). Other experimental therapies are being planned, including drugs and chemicals that block growth inhibitors. Thus, there will be many opportunities to participate in clinical trials. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/info/articles/278/1/What-experimental-clinical-therapies-are-available.html  Several clinical trials are assessing therapies that are applied within 2 weeks after injury. These include activated macrophages (which may help repair the injured cord), alternating currents (to stimulate regeneration), and AIT-082 (a drug that may stimulate growth factors and stem cell proliferation). The macrophage trial is limited to people with "complete" thoracic spinal cord injury and requires surgery. Please consider the risk and benefits of the trial carefully, including the risk of moving somebody to another center. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/info/articles/277/1/How-long-will-recovery-take.html  Recovery takes a long time. Most recovery occur within 6 months but many people continue to recover function for a year or more. A recent poll of the CareCure Community suggests that 61% recovered function more than one year after injury. In another poll, 16-18% of people who are "complete" spinal cord injury recovered additional function 3 or more years after injury. A recent study detailed how Christopher Reeve recover function over 7 years after his injury. So, recovery frequently continues for years after injury. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/info/articles/276/1/Will-heshe-recover.html  Recovery is the rule and not the exception after spinal cord injury. The probability of recovery is high, especially after "incomplete" spinal cord injury. Clinical trial data indicate that if a person had even slight sensation or movement below the injury site shortly after injury, they will recover an average of 59% of the function they lost and, if they receive high-dose methylprednisolone, they will recover an average of 75% of what they had lost. People admitted to hospital with no motor or sensory function below the injury site recover an average of 8% of the function they had lost but will recover an average of 21% if they received methylprednisolone. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0400