Word: cords
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...interplay of cells and tissues that marks the growth of an embryo is one of nature's most exquisitely orchestrated movements. And, for vertebrates, the formation of the spinal cord and brain from a simple tube of cells is as crucial to life as it is beautiful to contemplate. But any defect in this neural tube, likely to appear early in development, can be devastating. Among the possible results: anencephaly, in which a baby is born minus most of its brain, and spina bifida...
Researchers are learning how to limit spinal-cord damage...
...drug, which was quickly administered to Byrd, has become a standard treatment for spinal-cord injuries in the U.S., and health authorities are studying proposals that would allow paramedics to inject the steroid at the scene of an accident. Just as important, says Bracken, methylprednisolone has erased the notion that these injuries are hopeless: "It's opened the door to many other studies that may lead to better recovery." Several groups are testing substances that provide the benefits of methylprednisolone without the side effects, which include depressing the immune system...
...small study completed last year, researchers from the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services gave the drug to 34 patients for four weeks after their injury. One year later, seven had improved markedly. The treatment apparently prevented further damage to the white matter in the cord and perhaps may have stimulated nerve repair...
There may even be hope for the estimated 200,000 Americans paralyzed by old injuries. By studying how nerve cells grow during embryonic development, scientists believe that they will one day learn to overcome the spinal cord's stubborn unwillingness to repair even a 1-cm gap in its length (a gap that is nonetheless large enough to paralyze function). Several biotechnology firms have cloned specific chemicals that regulate nerve growth, though none are ready for clinical...