Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 16 January 1998:
Vol. 279. no. 5349, pp. 319 - 321
DOI: 10.1126/science.279.5349.319
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Research News

NEUROPHYSIOLOGY:
Teaching the Spinal Cord to Walk

Ingrid Wickelgren

A flurry of recent work suggests that, with proper training, some patients with spinal cord injuries can regain at least a limited ability to walk. The idea is buttressed by a large and growing body of evidence in cats and now in humans showing that, contrary to dogma, the adult mammalian spinal cord can perform on its own, largely independent of the brain, many of the functions necessary for walking. What's more, recent data show that neural circuits governing locomotion in the spinal cord can "learn," by altering their connections. More work will be needed to confirm these encouraging, but early, results, and even supporters caution that no one knows how much improvement individual patients can expect from the treatment. Furthermore, many patients, including those whose spinal cords are completely severed and quadriplegics, will not benefit from the approach.

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Role of EphA4 and EphrinB3 in Local Neuronal Circuits That Control Walking.
K. Kullander, S. J. B. Butt, J. M. Lebret, L. Lundfald, C. E. Restrepo, A. Rydstrom, R. Klein, and O. Kiehn (2003)
Science 299, 1889-1892
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Walking in simulated reduced gravity: mechanical energy fluctuations and exchange.
T. M. Griffin, N. A. Tolani, and R. Kram (1999)
J Appl Physiol 86, 383-390
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)