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Electroactive Scaffolds to Improve Neural Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury

Mutepfa, Anthea R.; Hardy, John G.; Adams, Christopher F.

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Authors

Anthea R. Mutepfa

John G. Hardy



Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious condition caused by damage to the spinal cord through trauma or disease, often with permanent debilitating effects. Globally, the prevalence of SCI is estimated between 40 to 80 cases per million people per year. Patients with SCI can experience devastating health and socioeconomic consequences from paralysis, which is a loss of motor, sensory and autonomic nerve function below the level of the injury that often accompanies SCI. SCI carries a high mortality and increased risk of premature death due to secondary complications. The health, social and economic consequences of SCI are significant, and therefore elucidation of the complex molecular processes that occur in SCI and development of novel effective treatments is critical. Despite advances in medicine for the SCI patient such as surgery and anaesthesiology, imaging, rehabilitation and drug discovery, there have been no definitive findings toward complete functional neurologic recovery. However, the advent of neural stem cell therapy and the engineering of functionalized biomaterials to facilitate cell transplantation and promote regeneration of damaged spinal cord tissue presents a potential avenue to advance SCI research. This review will explore this emerging field and identify new lines of research.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 10, 2022
Online Publication Date Feb 22, 2022
Publication Date 2022
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Front Med Technol
Print ISSN 2673-3129
Electronic ISSN 2673-3129
Publisher Frontiers Media
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 4
Article Number 693438
Pages 693438
DOI https://doi.org/10.3389/fmedt.2022.693438
Keywords cell therapy, electrical stimulation, electroactive, spinal cord injury, tissue engineering \& regenerative medicine
Publisher URL https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2022.693438/full#h12

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