In a new study in mice, a team of researchers from UCLA, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and Harvard University have uncovered a crucial component for restoring functional activity after spinal cord injury. The neuroscientists have shown that re-growing specific neurons back to their natural target regions led to recovery, while random regrowth was not effective.

Scientists regenerate neurons that restore walking in mice after paralysis from spinal cord injury::In a new study in mice, a team of researchers from UCLA, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and Harvard University have uncovered a crucial component for restoring functional activity after spinal cord injury. The neuroscientists have shown that re-growing specific neurons back to their natural target regions led to recovery, while random regrowth was not effective.

  • cooopsspace@infosec.pubEnglish
    441·
    1 year ago

    Insurance: Nah we aren’t gonna cover it. And for some reason our economical opinion trumps your own doctors medical opinion.

    • ikapoz@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      30·
      1 year ago

      This is actually one case insurance companies would be ALL OVER a real fix. People with spinal injuries have tons of medical complications that cost throughout their entire life. An insurance company would definitely be interested in unloading persistent fiscal drains like that.

      Don’t get me wrong, the medical insurance industry is a fucking terror, especially in the US with the degree of regulatory capture involved. In this one case though, a real cure would serve their interests at anything less than a massive cost on their part.

      • Jax@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        11·
        1 year ago

        If that’s the case, wouldn’t the same logic be applied to novel cancer treatments? Last time I checked those have a tendency to evaporate mysteriously, and insurance companies weren’t exactly stopping it.

        Idk, just seams a little idealistic.

        • ikapoz@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          5·
          1 year ago

          The only ideal that type of company has at its heart is the pursuit of profit. If they see a real cure that costs less than the long term “maintenance” care they would be all over it. If not, then not.

          Novel cancer treatments aren’t a terribly good comparison in my opinion. Rarely does a single one in isolation offer a clear and permanent cure - though with any categorization that broad there are of course exceptions.

          Hell, when scientists identify care that is likely enough to prevent the need of reactive treatment insurance companies often make it free to lower their overall costs - teeth cleaning and flu shots for example. That’s not altruism on their part, it’s economics.

    • SARGEx117@lemmy.world
      English
      113·
      1 year ago

      "Yeahhhhhh here’s the thing, a wheelchair costs fifty dollars, while the revolutionary treatment that will give you full use back is fifty ONE dollars…

      So you see, there really is only one sensible option…" -every insurance company everywhere even if the prices were literal

      • cooopsspace@infosec.pubEnglish
        6·
        1 year ago

        But but… If I can get back to work I can make the $1 whilst also getting back into the workforce and by extention the tax base providing a lifetime of benefit to the public and keep my family out of poverty…

        Denied.

  • figaro@lemdro.idEnglish
    251·
    1 year ago

    What I’ve learned this means in practical terms is, “Wow! We are really good at healing mice!”

  • DLSchichtl@lemmy.worldEnglish
    15·
    1 year ago

    So do they injure the mice intentionally, or do they send them to work with little mouse jobs with poor OSHA regulations and wait for the inevitable?

  • Spliffman1@lemmy.worldEnglish
    930·
    1 year ago

    How many mice were killed before they got one “fixed”? And did they damage their spinal cords in the first place so they could have subjects to work on? Where do you find a supply of mice paralyzed by spinal cord injury to experiment on? Just saying

          • wafflez@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 year ago

            Not even an applicable anaology when we’re breeding and slaughtering rats on a mass scale. It’s not the difference choosing between the life of a rat and the well-being of a human. Animal testing is generally not even applicable to humans and just results in large amounts of death and suffering. Not even to mention the grotesque method artificial insemination of rats. We have better alternatives to animal testing like in vitro, animal testing is not necessary

    • Vlixz@lemmy.worldEnglish
      121·
      1 year ago

      I genuinely don’t want to be hateful, but how do you expect stuff like this to be tested without hurting “some” animals. I’m not saying I agree with animal testing and if possible I’d rather them test it another way, but I do understand the importance of it. Without this lot’s of medications and treatments wouldn’t exist.

        • photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          133·
          1 year ago

          In vitro cell cultures don’t have spinal cords. For stuff like this, you need the living animal. Also, fun fact, in order to aquire the cells to culture, you need to kill newborn rats.

    • photonic_sorcerer@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      172·
      1 year ago

      Animal testing has saved the lives of millions and improved billions. It’s gruesome, but necessary. Especially for research like this.

    • volodymyr@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 year ago

      It does make you wonder what caused spinal injury in these mice. I do not suppose there is a sufficient natural supply of these kinds of injured mice.

      But, if not animal testing, how do you propose to develop the treatment?

    • lazyraccoon@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Animal experimentation should always be the last option, but an option nonetheless.

      Unless you’re talking cosmetics or some other meaningless bullshit.

    • Rooty@lemmy.worldEnglish
      43·
      1 year ago

      People who value the lives of small rodents over the lives of fellow human beings should have their heads checked, because their moral compass is seriously out of whack.

        • Rooty@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          Their whole consciousness reduced down to moving forward and backwards in a toy car. Absolutely barbaric.

          You’re making it sound like they did it for funsies, rather than important research. Also, link please, this sounds like a massive breakthrough.