Translation: Relevance of spinal cord injury animal models

Abstract

There are currently no therapeutic interventions available for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). The discovery and validation of the growing number of promising therapies will require continued reliance on preclinical animal models of SCI prior to human translation. Animal models of SCI are instrumental in better understanding the mechanisms involved in traumatic SCI and evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Over the past 40 years, substantial gains have been made in developing consistent, reproducible and reliable animal SCI models. These models vary in terms of the species utilized, injury location, and injury mechanism, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. While the controlled experimental environment of preclinical studies is considered advantageous, it is this that makes animal models distinct from clinical reality, where there is considerable heterogeneity in baseline health and injury mechanics. The challenge then, is to evaluate what level of preclinical evidence is sufficient to proceed with clinical trials. The range of experimental paradigms available to the scientific community give new opportunities to address translational questions prior to human testing. Continued open communication involving scientists, clinicians, regulatory agencies, funding agencies, and the individuals living with SCI is required to move forward efficiently towards the establishment of novel therapeutics for the treatment of SCI.