The basics of spinal cord injury:

The spinal cord is a part of the Central Nervous system.  It connects the brain to the senses and sends transmitters to create movement in the body.  A healthy spinal cord is about 18 inches long and travels from the brain down the center of the back to about the waist. The spinal cord is surrounded by rings of bone called vertebra. Vertebra make up the back bone that protects the spinal cord.  The spinal cord acts like a super-highway for Upper Motor Neurons (UMN), which are nerves traveling to and from the brain sending messages to various parts of the body. 

If the spinal cord is thought of as the super-highway, the spinal nerves called Lower Motor Neurons (LMN) are the on and off ramps from the highway for the nerves to travel. LMNs are located at each vertebra and branch out to other parts of the body, communicating with specific areas.  LMNs send messages of sensations from the skin and other organs to the brain.  And, LMNs carry messages to muscles from the brain to initiate movement and other actions.

The back bone is separated into four regional vertebra.  The vertebra are named by the location.  The top eight vertebra, located in the neck region, are called Cervical Vertebra.  The top vertebra is called C-1, on down to C-8.  Next are the twelve Thoracic Vertebra located in the chest area.  The first Thoracic Vertebra where the top rib attaches is called T-1, the second is T-2, and so on.  Five Lumbar Vertebra are located in the lower back, and five Sacral Vertebra run from the pelvis to the end of the spine.  The top Lumbar Vertebra is called L-1 and the top Sacral Vertebra is S-1. 

An injury at a certain vertebra location will cut off the transportation of nerve information from that location to the brain. The result is often paralysis (no sensation or movement) from the location of the spinal cord injury to all areas below the injury.  This is because the transportation of the nerves sending information to and from the brain has been blocked or severed by the injury.  Thus, an injury occurring at the Cervical area will cause loss of function in the arms as well as the legs resulting in quadriplegia; whereas injuries in the lower Thoracic region will cause loss of functions in the lower body and results in paraplegia. 

A spinal cord injury may be “complete” or “incomplete.”  A complete injury means that there will be no sensation or voluntary movement below the injury and both sides of the body are without function.  An incomplete injury may have some function available below the injury, either to one or both sides of the body.

The spinal cord is protected by fluid and bone, which are tightly compacted around the spinal cord.  An injury to the spine that causes the spine to swell may cause pressure to the spinal cord.  This pressure is primarily the cause of spinal cord injury.  Immediate care to decrease the swelling, and therefore the pressure to the spinal cord, may lessen the severity of the injury.

Some of the cells of the Central Nervous System cannot regenerate like other organs and cells in the body, so recovery is difficult.  As the cells die, the body’s immune system takes over.  The chemical intrusion may cause other cells to self-destruct and the lesion size may enlarge, causing even more damage. 

Researchers are studying several areas to aide spinal cord injuries.  These areas include controlling the body’s natural reaction to trauma.  This area of research is known as assisting “degeneration,” meaning that the research is directed at preventing increased harm at or near the time of injury.  Other research includes stem cell research and other methods meant to replicate and regenerate damaged cells.  This research is directed at “regeneration” of already damaged cells.  Still other research is aimed at rehabilitation and advancement of treatment for complications that can result from paralysis.

For more information on spinal cord injury, its treatment and cure, the following links provide a wide variety of knowledge on the subject.  Some of the links below will connect you with the people affected by spinal cord injuries; while other links provide the known science and information on new studies.  It is an exciting time we live in, where information is available to everyone.  Our goal in providing this information is to spread the word that recovery is possible; and that hope is achievable. 

The following links have more news and information on SCI research:

SCI Research Advancement	Wings for Life SCI Research Foundation.   Life Rolls On Foundation
Chris Blais Racing	Project Walk
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation   Reeve-Irvine Research Center  Hans Keirstead, PhD.	Aaron Baker   Rise Above U.S. Bicycle Tour