After a spinal cord injury the long axons which project from the spinal cord neurons degenerate below the injury. At the same time scar tissue forms across the injury site that blocks any potential regrowth of these nerve fibres. Now a research team from Dublin, Ireland has developed an electro-conductive 3-D scaffold which can bridge the gap created by the injury. The implant is designed to mimic the spinal cord structure and the researchers believe the electrical stimulation will encourage the damaged neurons to regenerate their axons, thereby restoring function.
The research was published in the journal Materials Today