SEARCH FOR SCI CURE: Gabapentin helps rats regain ambulatory function

OK, so you’ve probably heard this story before. Scientist comes up with a potential cure for paralysis. Scientist enrolls a bunch of rats for his research and paralyzes them. Scientist then gives the rats the concoction developed to cure paralysis. Rats start walking, leaving the rest of us humans with SCI screaming bloody murder: “how many rats will get cured before a single human does?” It’s a fair question.

Now comes word that researchers at Ohio State University have discovered that a highly-controversial medication used for pain management within the SCI community, Gabapentin, could help restore upper limb function after a spinal cord injury. Before you get too excited and start quadrupling your intake of Gabapentin, it’s important to note that the regained function in mice occurred after four months of treatment – the equivalent of about nine years in adult humans. You can read the full article HERE.