SCI Hope for the Future
- Denise Fisher
- Sep 30
- 4 min read
As we close out September, we honor Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Awareness Month with renewed hope for future interventions.
This month, as we honor those who have experienced a spinal cord injury, let’s reflect on overall progress for treatment, rehabilitation and prognoses. A comprehensive look at the quality of life for those who are living with the effects of this type of significant injury can be valuable as we try to formulate a hopeful future.
In looking at significant history in this area, Christopher Reeve, the well known actor who portrayed Superman, is an important part of the story. In 1995, during an equestrian competition, he was paralyzed after being thrown from a horse. His cervical spinal injury also affected his ability to breathe. Following his long and extensive rehabilitation process, Reeve began experiencing sensation and producing movement to a small degree. By 2003, he underwent an experimental procedure, allowing electrodes to be implanted on his diaphragm, enabling him to breathe on his own. Now, twenty years later, this device has received premarket approval. Thanks to Reeve’s prominence as an actor before his accident, spinal cord injury research gained heightened visibility as he began advocating for the cause.
For over 40 years, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation has focused on raising funds for clinical trials, new uses for approved drugs, and brain-machine interface-facilitated neuro recovery. In 1999, the Christopher Reeve Foundation merged with the American Paralysis Association, and has provided multi-millions in financial support for research and grants to improve quality of life for spinal cord injury survivors.
Despite an increased awareness since Reeve’s injury and death, the current landscape of clinical SCI research has remained limited with a low likelihood of providing widely available therapeutics. Authors of current research express that there is still a long road ahead, since there are many possible factors which prevent success for the implementation of program findings. Many questions remain and are driving current research.
What do we know about the central nervous system and its ability to heal and regenerate?
What will be the effect of AI on this research?
What is the role of stem cell therapy in recovery?
Along with many other questions, we are beginning to see some life changing techniques that are changing physical function and the overall lives of those impacted by SCI.
At the University of Texas in Dallas, a groundbreaking study is centered on closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation (CLV), in which a tiny circuit board is implanted into the neck to stimulate the vagus nerve. This research stemmed from previous studies showing significant rewiring of the brain after a stroke. Simple successes in areas of keyboarding, self-care and basic vocational tasks are having a profound impact on individual lives. The researchers hope to achieve full FDA approval within 3-4 years.
A profound measure from this technique shows that recovery is not dependent on the length of time since the initial injury, facilitating a great deal of hope.
“For the first time in history there is legitimate optimism that neurological damage can be controlled and repaired.”
-Reeve-Irvine Research Center
This statement reflects this current climate where there are a variety of new, groundbreaking research projects showing promise to have a profound impact on human subjects with SCI. These include central nervous system and dendrite regeneration, stem cell research, improving bladder function control, and use of a music glove to foster dexterity. Currently, scientists at this center are testing approaches that use stem cells to create bridges across injury sites, hoping to re-establish function in the injured spinal cord and reverse paralysis.
All over the country researchers at prestigious universities and medical centers are experiencing successful results from ongoing research projects. These include improving the function of existing nerves, using infrared light technology, and use of electronic devices which wrap around or bypass the spinal cord. Also, a fully implanted stimulator that mimics natural nerve signals is being studied.
Although around the world there are limiting factors and technical difficulties in preparing and transporting cells, researchers have expressed that they are now on the cusp of newly developing treatments. In 2024, Professor Dr. James John in Australia discovered that specialized cells in the olfactory nerve have numerous properties that can repair and generate nerves. Surgeons are now able to implant these cells so that the spinal cord can be rewired from the inside out. The world’s first clinical trial, 30 years in the making, is now underway.
In Israel, medical teams have discovered a way to create a new spinal cord that fuses with the body. This is a groundbreaking procedure that is currently being attempted, using a patient’s own blood and fatty tissue for transplantation into the damaged area. All of these new procedures are the accumulation of years of exploration, creativity and critical thinking — the reward for incredible persistence by research scientists.
One of the most significant advancements in technology that shows promise in improving the functionality of those with spinal cord injury and other neurological impairments is Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology. The most talked about version of this technology is Neuralink’s N1 implant, a small wireless chip surgically implanted into the brain which records signals from neurons. The device enables direct communication between the brain and a computer. The Neuralink company’s first successful human implant took place in 2024, with current trials ongoing.
Around the world, important progress is being made in the search for new treatments for SCI. These efforts bring genuine hope for advances in healing, improved physical function, and quality of life. Although a cure cannot yet be promised, advances in research offer more hope than ever that it may be on the horizon!
