The body’s immune reaction to spinal cord injuries diminishes with age, with the spinal cord’s surrounding membranes playing a pivotal part, recent research reveals. The findings also indicate potential targets to bolster recovery, presenting improved treatment prospects, especially for older patients.
A fresh study indicates the immune system’s ability to respond to spinal cord injuries dwindles with age, but also introduces potential tactics to enhance this response and support patient rehabilitation.
The recent research offers vital insights into the immune system’s response to spinal cord injuries, including why this response appears to deteriorate with age. It also emphasizes the substantial role of the membranes enveloping the spinal cord in sparking the immune response to such injuries. Armed with this information, healthcare professionals may eventually be able to fortify the body’s natural immune response to augment patient recovery, particularly in the elderly population.
“Increasingly, more elderly individuals are experiencing spinal cord injuries. Our results suggest that in aging, the initiation and resolution of the immune response is impaired compared to the young,” stated researcher Andrea Francesca M. Salvador, a recent Ph.D. recipient from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “We hope our findings can pinpoint areas for intervention and potential drug targets to improve recovery and address the lasting impacts of injury such as pain.”
Deciphering Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can lead to devastating, lifelong consequences, leaving patients with loss of mobility, loss of bowel control, or enduring pain, sexual dysfunction, or uncontrollable spasms, contingent on the severity and location of the injury. Better comprehension of the body’s reaction to spinal cord injuries is a crucial step towards devising improved treatment strategies.
The new discoveries come from the lab of Jonathan Kipnis, Ph.D., who made a significant discovery at UVA in 2015, identifying previously unknown vessels connecting the brain to the immune system, a connection thought not to exist. This groundbreaking discovery, which established the presence of these vessels in the membranes, or meninges, surrounding the brain, redefined textbooks and launched a new dimension in neurological research. Currently, “neuroimmunology,” the study of the relationship between the nervous system and the immune system, is among the most intriguing areas of neuroscience research, poised to revolutionize our understanding and treatment of numerous neurological disorders.
Now, Salvador, Kipnis, and their collaborators have established that the meninges surrounding the spinal cord play a crucial part in the immune response to spinal cord injury. They found that previously unknown meningeal lymphatic “patches” form above the injury site. Although more research is required to understand these structures, their formation suggests a significant role for the spinal-cord meninges in the immune response to injuries.
Furthermore, Salvador and her team measured the response of immune cells to spinal-cord injuries. They found this reaction to be considerably stronger in young lab mice compared to older ones, indicating the possibility of targeting certain immune cells to enhance recovery following spinal cord injuries.
Collectively, these findings position the spinal-cord meninges and their interplay with other elements of the central nervous system as promising areas for researchers to probe further as they seek to understand the body’s intricate response to spinal cord injuries.
“This is a promising discovery that may pave the way for new therapeutic methods for spinal cord injury patients,” said Kipnis, presently a professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and director of its Brain Immunology and Glia Center (BIG Center). “We are collaborating with clinicians in hopes of gaining a better understanding of what’s happening in human patients and how our findings could be used to make a real impact.”
Reference: “Age-dependent immune and lymphatic responses after spinal cord injury” by Andrea Francesca M. Salvador,
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Spinal cord injuries
What role does the immune system play in spinal cord injuries?
The immune system plays a significant role in spinal cord injuries. It initiates an immune response to the injury, but this response weakens with age. The membranes surrounding the spinal cord, known as meninges, have been found to be crucial in triggering the immune response.
How do spinal cord injuries affect patients?
Spinal cord injuries can have devastating effects on patients. Depending on the severity and location of the injury, patients may experience loss of mobility, loss of bowel control, pain, sexual dysfunction, or uncontrollable spasms. These injuries can have a lifelong impact on individuals.
Can the immune response to spinal cord injuries be improved?
Yes, research suggests that the immune response to spinal cord injuries can be enhanced. By targeting specific immune cells and strengthening the body’s inherent immune response, it may be possible to improve patient recovery, especially among older adults who experience a weakened immune response.
What is the significance of the meninges in spinal cord injuries?
The meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the spinal cord, play an essential role in the immune response to spinal cord injuries. Previously unknown meningeal lymphatic “patches” have been discovered to form above the injury site, indicating their involvement in the immune response. Further research is needed to fully understand their function.
How can these findings impact the treatment of spinal cord injuries?
The findings open new possibilities for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. Understanding the immune system’s response and the role of the meninges can guide the development of targeted interventions and druggable targets. This knowledge may lead to improved recovery, reduced long-term consequences, and better management of issues such as pain in patients with spinal cord injuries.
More about Spinal cord injuries
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Neuron: “Age-dependent immune and lymphatic responses after spinal cord injury”
(https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(23)00394-2) -
University of Virginia School of Medicine: “New Immune System Discovery Opens New Doors for Spinal Cord Injuries”
(https://med.virginia.edu/news/new-immune-system-discovery-opens-new-doors-for-spinal-cord-injuries/) -
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis: Brain Immunology and Glia Center (BIG Center)
(https://neuro.wustl.edu/about/centers/brain-immunology-and-glia-center-big-center/)
5 comments
great research but a bit hard 2 read due 2 the errors. srsly tho, understanding the immune system’s role in spinal cord injuries is key. hope they find ways 2 improve patient recovery!
fascinating stuff! i’ve always wondered how the immune system and the nervous system are connected. now we’re exploring neuroimmunology! this is like a sci-fi movie coming 2 life. keep up the gr8 work, researchers!
wow, the discovery of those hidden vessels was a game-changer! our brain and immune system are more connected than we thought. can’t wait 4 more breakthroughs in neuroimmunology. the future of medicine is exciting!
this is amazing!! who knew the immune system had such a big part in spinal cord injuries? the meninges are so important. can’t wait 2 see how this research transforms treatment options!
this article needs 2 b proofread better. hard 2 follow at times. but the info is still super interesting. understanding spinal cord injuries is crucial. hoping they can find new treatments and minimize the long-term effects.