Can Electric Fields Help Heal Spinal Cord Injuries? Study Provides Insights

In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers have developed a promising new treatment for spinal cord injuries using electric field therapy. The animal study offers hope for a future medical device that could one day restore movement and sensation in people living with spinal cord damagem an area long considered untreatable.

Spinal cord injuries sever communication between the brain and body, often leading to permanent loss of function.

To explore a potential solution, researchers created an ultra-thin electronic implant designed to sit directly on the spinal cord, specifically over the site of injury in rats. Before birth and shortly after, the body uses naturally occurring electric fields to guide the development of the nervous system. This study aimed to replicate that process artificially.

Over the course of 12 weeks, rats that received daily, precisely controlled electric stimulation at the injury site showed significant improvements. After just four weeks, those treated displayed greater movement than untreated counterparts and reacted more swiftly to gentle touch suggesting recovery of both motor and sensory functions.

"This indicates that the treatment supported recovery of both movement and sensation," said Dr. Bruce Harland, a senior research fellow in the School of Pharmacy at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. "Just as importantly, our analysis confirmed that the treatment did not cause inflammation or other damage to the spinal cord, demonstrating that it was not only effective but also safe."

The team now plans to fine-tune the parameters of the therapy, including strength, frequency, and duration, with the long-term goal of translating it into a clinical solution for human patients—and even pets.

Reference: Bruce Harland, Lukas Matter, Salvador Lopez, Barbara Fackelmeier, Brittany Hazelgrove, Svenja Meissner, Simon O’Carroll, Brad Raos, Maria Asplund, Darren Svirskis. Daily electric field treatment improves functional outcomes after thoracic contusion spinal cord injury in rats. Nature Communications, 2025; 16 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60332-0