Scientists target spinal trauma

Tel Aviv University scientists say they may have found a way to limit the damage that spreads through the nervous system after spinal cord injuries.

The treatment, tested in animals, removes excess glutamate from the bloodstream in the first hours after injury. Too much glutamate can overstimulate nerve cells, trigger inflammation and worsen damage.

Researchers said treated animals recovered up to 80 percent of motor function after two months, compared with about 30 percent in untreated animals. The findings were published in “Inflammation and Regeneration.”

Scientists cautioned that the results are still preclinical and have not been tested in humans.

“If we are able to confirm our results in humans, the new approach will represent a true paradigmatic shift,” said Dr. Angela Ruban, one of the study’s co-leaders.