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.