Alzheimer's drugs to aid spinal injury patients?RSS Feed

Alzheimer's drugs could potentially be used to relieve pain and paralysis caused by conditions such as spinal cord injury, researchers have said.

Scientists from Johns Hopkins found that the experimental compounds used to help Alzheimer's patients also make crushed or cut nerve endings regenerate faster.

Researcher Mohamed Farah explained that after a spinal cord injury, the environment surrounding the nerves can degenerate, meaning that the nerve cannot heal.

"If we can help nerves re-grow faster, we increase the chances that they can reach their target and become healthy again after injury," he continued.

Researchers are now planning to test the compounds on animal models of spinal injury and other examples of nerve damage.

In other news, the Gerontological Society of America has said that better management of chronic pain, such as that seen in spinal injury, could reduce disability in older patients.

According to the organisation, inadequate treatment of the condition in older people leads to unnecessary suffering.

News brought to you by Serious Law specialists in spinal cord injury

Posted by Paul Breen
 

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