Questions - Research en-us http://www.thescizone.com/questions N/A http://www.thescizone.com/questions webmaster@thescizone.com 20 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/7/1/What-is-autonomic-dysreflexia/1.html The autonomic nervous system often becomes hyperactive in people with spinal cord injury. Autonomic dysreflexia manifests in large increases in blood pressure (hypertension) with systolic pressures exceeding 200 mm Hg, slow (bradycardia) or fast heart rate (tachycardia), headaches, facial flushing, exuberant sweating, hyperthermia, stuffy nose, goose pimples, nausea, and other signs of autonomic hyperactivity. Called autonomic dysreflexia, these episodes may be spontaneously or may be instigated by infection, pain, or other conditions that stimulate the autonomic nervous system. Severe autonomic dysreflexia may be life-threatening. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Fri, 23 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/30/1/Has-the-incidence-of-SCI-changed-in-recent-years/1.html We don't know, because there haven't been any national studies of incidence in the past 15 years. The statewide registries will eventually be able to answer this question after they have been in existence a while longer. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 22 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/8/1/How-does-spinal-cord-injury-affect-the-skin/1.html Spinal cord injury reduces or eliminates skin sensation in dermatomes below the injury site. Because people cannot feel or move, they may sit or lie for long times on certain parts of their body. Pressure impedes blood flow in the skin. Due to muscle atrophy, the normal tissue padding that cushions the butt may be reduced. Absence of sensation, loss of muscle padding, and long periods of pressure can lead to skin breakdown and development of pressure sores or decubiti. Decubiti are potentially life threatening but preventable. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 22 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/51/1/When-the-cord-is-bruised-are-the-A--cells-killed-B--cells-demylinated-C--axons-destroyed-D--combinations-all-three-or-does-it-depend-on-the-injury/1.html All three can occur. Cells and axons are stretched and sheared when compression displaces the spinal cord. At the compression site, there are axons, neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendroglial cells. Depending on the velocity and extent of the stretching and shearing, cellular damage occurs to these cells. If the injury causes bleeding, the blood is toxic to cells and contributes to the injury. Finally, the injured tissues release a variety of chemicals that causes further tissue damage. These include free radicals, inflammatory cytokines, neurotoxic neurotransmitters, and other chemicals. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 15 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/13/1/How-many-spinal-cord-injuries-occur-in-the-US-each-year/1.html Studies suggest the incidence rate of SCI is about 40 cases per million population, excluding those who die at the scene of the accident. Given a current United States population of approximately 281.4 million persons, this means that over 11,000 new cases occur each year. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Wed, 14 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/32/1/What-is-a-Stem-Cell/1.html All mammals begin as two cells -- sperm and egg -- that combine into a single cell. This single cell will divide exponentially into specialized cells making up various organs and systems -- all the tissues of a new organism. Simply put, a stem cell is an immature cell that can become a different cell, or perhaps become one of many different cells. Most stem cells also can renew themselves -- divide -- indefinitely. These two characteristics are what present a new pathway to repairing damage to the human body caused by trauma, degeneration and disease. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Fri, 19 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/33/1/What-happens-when-nerve-fibers-regrow/1.html The nerve cell body remains intact, and only the "sending" or "receiving" fibers have to regrow as longer extensions from the nerve cell body. The peripheral nerves, outside the brain and spinal cord can do this quite easily. But within the brain and spinal cord there is much impediment to such regrowth. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Tue, 12 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/15/1/Whats-the-age-SCI-happen/1.html SCI primarily affects young adults. Fifty-five percent of SCIs occur among persons in the 16 to 30 year age group, and the average age at injury is 32.1 years. Since 1973 there has been an increase in the mean age at time of injury. Those who were injured before 1979 had a mean age of 28.6 while those injured after 1990 had a mean age of 35.3 years. Another trend is an increase in the proportion of those who were at least 61 years of age at injury. In the 1970's persons older than 60 years of age at injury comprised 4.7% of the database. Since 1990 this has increased to 10%. This trend is not surprising since the median age of the general population has increased from 27.9 years to 35.3 years during the same time period. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Wed, 23 Mar 2005 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/18/1/What-ethnic-groups-have-SCI/1.html  A significant trend over time has been observed in the racial distribution of persons in the Model System database. Among persons injured between 1973 and 1978, 77.5% of persons in the database were Caucasian, 13.5% were African-American, 5.7% were Hispanic, 2% were American Indian and 0.8% were Asian. However, among those injured since 1990 only 59.1% were Caucasian, while 27.6% were African-American, 7.7% were Hispanic, 0.4% were American Indian, 2.1% were Asian (and 0.5% were unknown and 2.5% were unclassified). webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/questions/articles/56/1/What-is-the-nerve-center-at-L1-Why-cant-anyone-with-an-injury-below-that-have-function-below-injury-or-respond-to-FES/1.html The part of the spinal cord that is situated at the bony segmental level of L1 contains most of the spinal cord that represent the L1-S4 spinal segments. These segments innervate the pelvic area and the legs. Collections of neurons in these segments control a variety of functions. These include walking (locomotion), the series of reflexes leading to urination (micturation), sexual function, etc. The neurons of course also mediate the reflexes that control and coordinate movements in the legs. Finally, many of the neurons that innervate the muscles of the pelvic area and legs are situated in these segments. If these motoneurons are killed, the muscles that they innervate will undergo atrophy. Electrical stimulation may not be able to activate atrophied muscles. webmaster@thescizone.com (Super Admin) Tue, 21 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0400