Serious car accidents can leave loved ones in a debilitating state from spinal cord injury, however new procedures being tested may allow them to recover some of their prior capabilities , Alabama product liability attorney Keith T. Belt says

There are an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 spinal cord injuries every year in the U.S.  These injuries sever or crush the
nerve fibers that run through the spinal cord, potentially leading to complete paralysis and loss of sensation below the level of the injury. A traumatic blow to the spinal cord also typically causes a loss of myelin and the death of cells that make myelin, which are called oligodendrocytes.  Myelin is needed to insulate the electrical signals transmitted by nerve fibers.  Despite efforts by many investigators to develop therapies that target myelin, there has been a lack of consensus about the extent to which myelin loss has functional consequences in spinal cord injury.

In a study in animals, researchers have shown they can improve recovery from spinal cord injuries through an infusion of cells that help rebuild the myelin sheath – a covering around nerve fibers.

There has been controversy about the extent to which demyelination contributes to the loss of function after spinal cord injury, and therefore doubts regarding the benefits of therapies to stimulate myelin repair, this study provides strong evidence that such an approach is indeed beneficial in an animal model of spinal cord injury.

About Belt Law Firm, P.C.

Belt Law Firm, P.C., is an Alabama personal injury law firm that represents the victims of dangerous and defective products throughout the communities of Birmingham, Bessemer, Cullman, Tuscaloosa, Jasper, Homewood, Jefferson County, Shelby County, Walker County, Blount County and Saint Clair County. Although the firm’s focus is on regional litigation in Alabama, the firm’s attorneys have also represented clients in Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Delaware. To learn more, call the firm toll-free at (888) 933-1514 or use its online form.