Electrically Mediated Trauma Repair
Abstract
Acute, severe trauma to the musculoskeletal system and nervous system is the unfortunate - but common - consequence of active engagement. These injuries (which sometimes occur even during military training) , produce the most intractable medical problems for the military medical command. Of the types of trauma for which there is no known acute treatment applicable during the first hours to days after injury which might offer the promise of significant recovery, injury to the central nervous system is the most serious. Survival means years of chronic rehabilitation with little hope of substantial change in behavioral deficit. Our group has concentrated on the development of the use of applied electrical fields as an acute treatment, relatively simple in application, which may significantly alter the outcome of nervous system trauma. Applied electrical fields are known to be able to strikingly modify the development and elongation of nerve processes in culture conditions and in in vivo studies of nonmammalian vertebrates. In the last contract period we have firmly established that steady DC fields also facilitate regeneration of ascending (sensory) components of the adult guinea pig spinal cord. Moreover, we have demonstrated that growth processes initiated by applied fields within the transected spinal cord of the guinea pig is associated with a functional recovery of a specific, analyzable, behavioral deficit. Keywords: Army research, Cutaneous Trunci Muscle Reflex.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA221580
Entities
People
- Richard B. Borgens
Organizations
- Purdue University