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Immediate recovery from spinal cord injury through molecular repair of nerve membranes with polyethylene glycol

Center for Paralysis Research, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA

¹Correspondence: Center for Paralysis Research, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. E-mail: cpr{at}vet.purdue.edu

A brief application of the hydrophilic polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) swiftly repairs nerve membrane damage associated with severe spinal cord injury in adult guinea pigs. A 2 min application of PEG to a standardized compression injury to the cord immediately reversed the loss of nerve impulse conduction through the injury in all treated animals while nerve impulse conduction remained absent in all sham-treated guinea pigs. Physiological recovery was associated with a significant recovery of a quantifiable spinal cord dependent behavior in only PEG-treated animals. The application of PEG could be delayed for ~8 h without adversely affecting physiological and behavioral recovery which continued to improve for up to 1 month after PEG treatment.—Borgens, R. B., Shi, R. Immediate recovery from spinal cord injury through molecular repair of nerve membranes with polyethylene glycol.

Key Words: nerve fusion • nerve repair • neurotrauma

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