Stroking the skin can be as effective at relieving an itch as scratching, a new study reports. Rubbing an itch activates touch receptors and recruits anti-itch neurons in the spinal cord. Read More
Researchers combined intact neurons from a rat's spinal cord with a tissue-engineered 3D muscle system, creating a biohybrid robot, or biobot. After culturing the system for seven days, the motor neurons from the spinal cord produced electrical activity, causing contractions in the artificial muscles and mimicking the behavior of the peripheral nervous system. The findings could have positive implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders that affect motor control. Read More
Using robotics, researchers uncover mechanisms in the cerebellum and spinal cord that determine how the nervous system responds to induced changes in step length. The findings could have implications for physical rehabilitation programs for people with movement disorders. Read More
A new study challenges existing theories about spinal cord neurons. New findings suggest neurological signals originate from a major, scattered network of cells that send signals to only a few other neurons. Read More
Newly identified nerve pathway, which runs down the same side of the body, may bypass a damaged spinal cord. The findings could shed light on some neurological disorders such as referred itch or jogger's migraine. Read More
Study identifies a population of neurons in an area of the midbrain, called the red nucleus, that alter when fine motor skills are learned. The more an action is practiced, the stronger the connections between these neurons become. Read More
Changes in gene expression help researchers identify ALS associated pathways and establish the key drivers of motor neuron degeneration in the disease. Read More
A research group at Hiroshima University observed a potential new target for chronic pain treatment. Further research using this receptor could lead to new, more effective drugs to use in pain-relieving treatment for chronic pain. Read More
Axolotl salamander genes that allow the neural tube and nerve fibers to regenerate after spinal cord damage have been identified. These genes are also found in humans, but are activated differently. Read More
A new study reveals how the spinal cord is able to process and control more complex functions researchers previously believed to have been goverened by the cerebral cortex. Read More
Researchers have developed a novel 3D printed scaffolding that mimics natural anatomy and boost stem cell treatment for spinal cord repair. While the initial scaffolds have been designed for rat models of SCI, researchers report the approach is scalable to humans. Read More
Researchers have created a new system which allows two robotic arms to semi-autonomously drill holes into individual vertebrae. The robosurgery technique will improve accuracy and safety for spinal surgeries. Read More
