Nature: Study reveals blood pressure control mechanism after spinal injury

JANUARY 28, 2021 /--- -- Dr. Aaron Phillips of the CSM School of Medicine at the University of Calgary and Dr. Grégoire Courtine of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) led an international study that showed that spinal cord stimulators can bridge the body's autoitoring system and control blood pressure without the need for drugs.
study was published in the journal Nature.
"The spinal cord is like a communication line that allows the brain to send signals to the body, such as when and how to move and how to control important functions, including blood pressure," said Phillips, lead researcher and assistant professor at CSM.
" after a spinal cord injury, the communication line was interrupted.
we created the first platform to understand the potential mechanisms of blood pressure instability after spinal cord injury, which enabled us to develop new cutting-edge solutions.
(Photo: www.pixabay.com) "We're working with a company called Onward to develop a neurostational stimulation system specifically designed to control blood pressure in patients with spinal cord injuries," said Courtine, co-lead researcher and professor at EPFL.
study, targeted epidural electrical stimulation (EES) in the spinal cord was used to stabilize hemodynamics (whole body blood flow) so that vital organs could maintain an appropriate blood supply.
researchers found the exact position of the stimulant on the spine, as well as the circuitry of the sensory nervous system that controls blood pressure.
this new knowledge allows for the development of neural repair closed-loop communication systems to replace lost hemodynamic control.
. Sean Dukelow, M.D., said,
Won's pleasure that people with spinal cord injuries can stop taking anti-depressants and return to normal daily life and improve blood flow to the brain and organs."
" Sean Dukelow is a clinical scientist at CSM and the study's author.
people will be more alert and able to stand upright in a wheelchair without losing consciousness, which we believe will reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in the long run," he said.
" (Bioon.com) Source: Research finds blood pressure can be controlled without drugs after spinal cord injury Original source: Jordan W. Squair et al, Neuroprosthetic baroreflex controls haemodynamics after spinal cord injury, Nature (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-03180-w