Lizard's tails 'may hold clues about spinal cord injuries'RSS Feed

09 September 2009

A study involving lizards and their tails could help investigations into the effects of spinal cord injuries.

Professor Tim Higham from the Clemson University and Professor Anthony Russell of the University of Calgary have been looking at movements of the body part once it is shed by the reptile.

This happens for a number of reasons – such as establishing social status, storing energy reserves and distracting predators – but Professor Russell noted very little is understood about the pattern and control of movement of the detached tail.

He explained the investigation showed how the body part does not simply swing in a repetitive fashion, but instead moves in a complex way that includes jumps, lunges and flips.

Professor Higham asserted one of the most plausible reasons for this is because the tail relies on sensory feedback from the environment.

"The automized gecko tail may be an excellent model for understanding the spontaneous activity that is sometimes observed following partial or complete spinal cord injury," he said.

Meanwhile, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation recently asserted brain-computer interfaces could be used in the future to help those with spinal cord injuries.

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