“We have a number of patients who are taking part in the trials through the Craig Institute in Denver,” says Dr. Theodore. “It’s early on, but results look promising. Some patients have improved one or two grades on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale – which is a significant improvement.”

The study is sponsored by Proneuron Biotechnologies. For more information, visit www.proneuron.com/clinicalstudies.

Another line of promising research is exploring the use of olfactory ensheathing cells. Olfactory ensheathing cells are the cells that cover the neurons that project from the nose to the brain.

“These cells bridge the area from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system,” says Dr. Theodore. They are particularly interesting because “the peripheral nervous system regenerates more quickly than the central nervous system.”

The research, which is currently in animal trials, is trying to determine whether olfactory ensheathing cells can be used to facilitate regeneration of damaged spinal cord tissue. The research is under the leadership of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a unit of the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Finally, a third line of research is pursuing the use of stem cells, cells within the body that “have the potential to become any kind of cell,” says Dr. Theodore. “We hope someday to be able to use these cells to repopulate an area in the spinal cord that’s been damaged.”

The process, however, is a complex one. “It’s not enough just to get these cells to grow in a damaged area,” explains Dr. Theodore. “They need to grow in a specific way to be successful.”

Unlike many other approaches, stem cell research holds promise for use with both acute and chronic injuries. However, the research is in very early stages, cautions Dr. Theodore. Animal studies focused on SCI treatment are currently underway.

Dr. Theodore is cautiously optimistic about the current research on treatment of SCI. “For a long time, the only option we’ve had for treatment was steroids,” he says. “Now we’re seeing research on many other strategies that may hold great promise.”

But many challenges remain. “One of the biggest challenges researchers face today is sifting through, literally, the thousands of pieces of research that are being done each year,” he says. “We need to focus on the therapies that hold most promise for humans, and that’s not always an easy thing to determine.”