Could an EpiPen for spinal cord injuries prevent paralysis?

When someone suffers a spinal cord injury, the immune system kicks in full gear rushing immune cells to the damaged site. However, in doing so, overzealous immune cells trigger inflammation that can destroy nerve cells and form a scar that blocks subsequent regeneration. As a result, the patient loses sensory and motor function below the level of injury. Researchers at the University of Michigan have devised an ingenious method that not only prevents spinal scars from forming but also primes the immune response to promote healing rather than cause damage to nerve cells.

So far, experiments have proven successful only in mice but for the more than 12,000 spinal injury patients in the US alone, this kind of research could be immensely valuable if it can be translated to humans. You can read more about this innovative approach HERE.