Influencia del campo magnético e implantes de polímero semiconductor sobre la regeneración axonal en un modelo de lesión traumática de médula espinal

Abstract

Traumatic spinal cord injury is a public health problem that resulting in a series of motor, sensitive and autonomic disabilities. At the present, there are no effective therapeutic strategies for re-establishing neurological function in this pathology, due to the complexity for regulating the mechanisms of secondary damage and to the poor spontaneous regeneration of the mature central nervous system. In a previous study our group demonstrated that the implant of semiconductor polymers after an injury by complete section of the spinal cord (CSSC), promotes the protection of nervous tissue and functional recovery in rats. The goal of the present work was to increase these beneficial effects using low frequency magnetic fields (LFMF). Rats with CSSC were implanted or not with PPY, PPY/I or PPY/PEG and they received or not stimulation by magnetic fields. Rats were evaluated using the BBB motor scale every week during two months. At the end of the follow-up, morphologic and morphometric studies were done. Stimulation with LFMF plus PPY implants increases the functional recovery and tissue preservation and it decreases the inflammatory cells migration to the injury site. However, the combination with PPY/I was not successful. So, physical and chemical characteristics of the implant should be taken in consideration in order to obtain better results. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.