Single gene 'may hold key to spinal cord injury'RSS Feed

A single gene may hold the key to better treatment for people who have suffered a spinal cord injury, new research has found.

Described as a "surprising and unexpected discovery", scientists from NYU Langone Medical Center have found that a single gene controls and organises motor neurons in the spinal cord.

It is thought that the discovery could help scientists develop new treatments for conditions such as Lou Gehrig's disease or spinal cord injury.

The gene is a member of the Hox family, which scientists have for some time known determines how connections are made between motor neurons.

"But what was surprising to us in this study was that a single Hox gene acts as a global organiser of motor neurons and their connections," explained Dr Jeremy Dasen from NYU.

The news comes after a team from the University of California, Irvine successfully treated spinal cord injured mice using stem cells.

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Posted by Matthew Dixon

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