Not only is rehabilitation therapy vital for maintaining the general health of spinal cord injured individuals, but now evidence is accumulating that shows how vigorous repetitive exercise can exploit neural plasticity both above and below the injury site, leading to an improvement in walking and standing capacity. This type of locomotor training program may also effect changes at the molecular level, improving axon regeneration and neural communication. The CRF has launched the NeuroRecovery Network grant program to provide support for the translation of basic science and applied research into intensive activity-based rehabilitation treatments. This will also include the establishment of specialized centers that provide standardized care based on current scientific and clinical evidence. The program is funded by a joint agreement between the CRF and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Initially the NeuroRecovery Network will support programs involving the therapeutic use of locomotor training using body weight support on a treadmill. The Network's longer-term goals include: maximizing the availability and quality of rehabilitative care for patients with spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders; developing a comprehensive database to track the success of activity-based therapeutic interventions; identifying the optimal locomotor training regimens for specific patient populations; and maintaining an administrative network that can supply logistical, technical, and personnel-based support for rehabilitation programs. This program is funded by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U10/CCU220379 between CRF and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Members of the NeuroRecovery Network (as of June 2005): The NeuroRecovery Network at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, Philadelphia, PA Advisory Board: A Conversation with Susan Harkema - COMING SOON |