Research on Transverse Myelitis

Within the Federal Government, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has primary responsibility for conducting and supporting research on spinal cord disorders and demyelinating diseases such as transverse myelitis. The NINDS conducts research in its laboratories at the NIH and also supports studies through grants to major medical institutions across the country.

NINDS researchers seek to clarify the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of demyelination in autoimmune diseases or disorders. Other work focuses on strategies to repair demyelinated spinal cords including approaches using cell transplantation. The knowledge gained from such research should lead to a greater knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for demyelination in transverse myelitis and may ultimately provide a means to prevent and treat this disorder.

The NINDS also funds researchers who are using animal models of spinal cord injury to study strategies for replacement or regeneration of spinal cord nerve cells. The ultimate goals of these studies are to encourage the same regeneration in humans and to restore function to paralyzed patients. Scientists are also developing neural prostheses to help patients with spinal cord damage compensate for lost function. These sophisticated electrical and mechanical devices connect with the nervous system to supplement or replace lost motor and sensory function. Neural prostheses for spinal cord injured patients are being tested in humans.