The spinal cord is a vital part of the central nervous system; even a small injury can lead to severe disability. In the US, there are approximately 230,000 people living with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), with over 10,000 more becoming disabled each year. Learning to live with SCI can be a challenge to any individual, caregiver or family. To improve their ability to cope, everyone involved must understand how the body responds to a spinal cord injury, and educate themselves about treatment and management issues. Spinal Cord Injury, the newest title in the critically acclaimed American Academy of Neurology Press Quality of Life Guides, is an authoritative and reliable resource for any patient, family member or caregiver looking to inform themselves on this topic. Written in easy-to-understand language, this excellent overview of spinal cord injury and its treatment, is essential reading for all patients desiring a better quality of life, and for family members and caregivers who need a better understanding of this condition and its effects. This informative book explains the anatomy of the spine, the results of injury and the treatment and management issues encountered during rehabilitation. It contains a glossary with commonly used terms, and website resources that can aid in further research. In addition, it includes current research to help SCI patients make informed medical decisions that promote optimum healing. Spinal Cord Injury will help patients, caregivers, and family members cope with SCI and enjoy a better quality of life.

Spinal cord injuries typically strike young, previously healthy persons, and leaves the individual with a severe, life-lasting impairment affecting all organ systems. Without adequate management, the risk of severe morbidity and mortality is very high. In contrast state-of-the-art management makes it possible for most persons with SCI to lead long, fulfilling, and autonomous lives despite neurological impairment. This book covers all medical and surgical aspects of modern SCI management from the scene of the accident through rehabilitation to the life-long follow up.

This clinically focused book aims to cover for the first time all of the neurological aspects relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord disease. Furthermore, innovative neurorestorative therapeutic strategies - aiming for repair of the damaged spinal cord and/or reorganization of the remaining nervous system - with significant potential for translation into clinical routine are presented. The book covers a comprehensive list of topics, including epidemiology, neuroanatomy, etiology of compressive and non-compressive spinal cord injury, imaging, neurophysiology, neurological sequelae, and complications with emphasis on dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Both clinically established and preclinical therapies are discussed in detail. The book is suited for trainees and practicing clinicians including neurologists, spine surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, neuroradiologists, and occupational/physical therapists; it will also be of value to neuroscientists involved in research into spinal cord disease.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury will enhance readers' understanding of the complexities of the diagnosis and management of spinal cord injuries. Featuring chapters on drug delivery, exercise, and rehabilitation, this volume discusses in detail the impact of the clinical features, diagnosis, management, and long-term prognosis of spinal cord injuries on the lives of those affected. The book has applicability for neuroscientists, neurologists, clinicians, and anyone working to better understand spinal cord injuries. Spinal injury affects about 10 million people annually worldwide, impacting on the family unit and causing lifelong disabilities, with varied symptoms including paresthesia, spasticity, loss of motor control, and often severe pain. Cellular, Molecular, Physiological, and Behavioral Aspects of Spinal Cord Injury will enhance readers' understanding of the biological and psychological effects of spinal cord injury. Featuring chapters on gene expression, metabolic effects, and behavior, this volume discusses in detail the impact of spinal cord injury to better understand the underlying pathways and processes. The book has applicability for neuroscientists, neurologists, clinicians, and anyone working to better understand these injuries. Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury: - Covers both the diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord injury - Contains chapter abstracts, key facts, dictionary, and summary points to aid in understanding - Features chapters on epidemiology and pain - Includes MRI usage, biomarkers, and stem cell and gene therapy for management of spinal cord injury - Discusses pain reduction, drug delivery, and rehabilitation Cellular, Molecular, Physiological, and Behavioral Aspects of Spinal Cord Injury: - Summarizes the neuroscience of spinal cord injury, including cellular and molecular biology - Contains chapter abstracts, key facts, dictionary, and summary points to aid in understanding - Features chapters on signaling and hormonal events - Includes plasticity and gene expression - Examines health and stress behaviors after spinal cord injury

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art of practical applications of neuroprosthesis based on functional electrical stimulation for restoration of motor functions lost by spinal cord injury and discusses the use of brain-computer interfaces for their control. The book covers numerous topics starting with basics about spinal cord injury, electrical stimulation, electrical brain signals and brain-computer interfaces. It continues with an overview of neuroprosthetic solutions for different purposes and non-invasive and invasive brain-computer interface implementations and presents clinical use cases and practical applications of BCIs. Finally, the authors give an outlook on cutting edge research with a high potential for clinical translation in the near future. All authors committed themselves to use easy-to-understand language and to avoid very specific information, focusing instead on the essential aspects. This makes this book an ideal choice not only for researchers and clinicians at all stages of their education interested in the topic of brain-computer interface-controlled neuroprostheses, but also for end users and their caregivers who want to inform themselves about the current technological possibilities to improve paralyzed motor functions.

Neural Repair and Regeneration after Spinal Cord Injury and Spine Trauma provides readers with a comprehensive overview on the most up-to-date strategies to repair and regenerate the injured spinal cord following SCI and spine trauma. With contributions by international authors, chapters put regenerative approaches in context, allowing the reader to understand the challenges and future directions of regenerative therapies. Recent clinical trial advancements are thoroughly discussed, with the impact of trial findings addressed. Additionally, major ongoing clinical trials are included with thoughts from experts in the field. Recent clinical practice guidelines for the management of traumatic spinal cord injury are featured throughout. These guidelines are quickly being adopted as the standard of care worldwide, and the comprehensive information found within this book will place these recommendations in context with current knowledge surrounding spinal cord injury and spine trauma. Contains contributions by international authors Covers recent clinical trial advancements and findings and updates on ongoing trials Presents an overview of clinical practice guidelines for the management of traumatic spinal cord injury featured Provides the reader with insights regarding the translation of research from bench to bedside and the skills needed to understand the translational pathway using real-life examples

Specialised chapters about biomechanics, paediatric spinal cord injury and high cervical injuries Insight into the lived experience of individuals with a spinal cord injury Documentation of the patient journey from injury to total rehabilitation Practical information on mobility devices and returning to driving Appendix of common assessments for spinal cord injuries Includes an eBook with purchase of the print book

Although there are over 400,000 people each year in the United States alone who suffer from traumatic injury to the central nervous system (CNS), no phar macological treatment is currently available. Considering the enormity of the problem in terms of human tragedy as well as the economic burden to families and societies alike, it is surprising that so little effort is being made to develop treatments for these disorders. Although no one can become inured to the victims of brain or spinal cord injuries, one reason that insufficient time and effort have been devoted to research on recovery is that it is a generally held medical belief that nervous system injuries are simply not amenable to treatment. At best, current therapies are aimed at providing symptomatic relief or focus on re habilitative measures and the teaching of alternative behavioral strategies to help patients cope with their impairments, with only marginal results in many cases. Only within the last decade have neuroscientists begun to make serious inroads into understanding and examining the inherent "plasticity" found in the adult CNS. Ten years or so ago, very few researchers or clinicians would have thought that damaged central neurons could sprout new terminals or that intact nerve fibers in a damaged pathway could proliferate to replace inputs from neurons that died as a result of injury.

Following injury or disease, neural circuitry can be altered to varying degrees leading to highly individualized characteristics that may or may not resemble original function. In addition, lost or partially damaged circuits and the effects of biological recovery processes coupled with learned compensatory strategies create a new neuroanatomy with capabilities that are often not functional or may interfere with daily life. To date, the majority of approaches used to treat neurological dysfunction have focused on the replacement of lost or damaged function, usually through the suppression of surviving neural activity and the application of mechanical assistive devices. Restorative Neurology of Spinal Cord Injury offers a different and novel approach. Focusing on the spinal cord and its role in motor control, the book details the clinical and neurophysiological assessment process and methods developed throughout the past half century by basic and clinical scientists. Then, through the use of specialized clinical and neurophysiological testing methods, conduction and processing performed within the surviving neural circuitry is examined and characterized in detail. Based on the results of such assessment, treatment strategies, also described in this book, are applied to augment, rather than replace, the performance of surviving neural circuitry and improve the functional capacity of people who have experienced injury to their spinal cords.