Evening star., 1954-06-09
Regeneration Ahead
For Spinal Cords?
Temporary Restoration
Achieved in Experiments

temporary Restoration
Achieved in Experiments
By Thomos R. Henry
Regeneration Of human spinal cords
now seems q possibility.
Definite progress in this direction
although still far from success-has
just been reported to the American
Academy Of Neurology by Dr. william
F. Windle of the Public Health Serv-
ices National Institute Of Neurological
Diseases.
He has worked with cats whose cords
have been severed for the experiment.
Some Of these, for short time, have
acquired ability to make co-ordinated
movements, indicating restoration Of
some communication between the mo-
tor areas Of the brain and leg muscles.
Such connection must be through the
spine.
Nerve regeneration in higher man.
mails, including man, hitherto has been
considered as impossible as perpetual
motion. This has been held automatic.
especially for the nerve fibers in the
spinal pathways. Actually. DR.. VIM
dies experiments indicate, it is not the
failure of the fibers themselves to re-
generate but the creation of "glial bar.
rierS"-walls of nervous system connec-
tive tissue-in their paths which is the
outstanding obstacle to success.
''Walls" Considered Vital.
Natures purpose in creating these
barriers is unknown. In the experiment
tai cats, however, the building of the
glial walls can be inhibited to some
extent by use Of certain fever-creating
bacteria. The result is imperfect walls,
through the chinks Of which the ea-
gerly regenerating nerve flbers find
their way. Eventually, however. these
chinks are closed and the process
brought to an end. The remedy seems
to be more effective methods of in
hibition.
What applies to cats in this respect
also should apply to humans. whose
nervous systems are quite similar. the
National Institute workers believe.
There, in fact, is one miracle case"
reported in medical literature. In 1901
the spine of 26-year-old woman was
completely severed by a gunshot wound.
BY all accepted laws of physiology she
should have died at once, or the part
Of her body below the break in the
cord should have been completely par
alyzed and without feeling for as long
as she lived. Sixteen months later.
however. she still was alive and able to
move voluntarily her toes. legs and
thighs. She claimed to have some
slight sense of touch in feet and legs.
When pressure was applied, she could
locate vaguely the spot touched.
Able to Stand Briefly.
Two years later she was able to stand
without braces for half an hour. She
claimed that she could feel in her
feet that she was standing" Six years
after the injury she had advanced to
the point where she could take,a few
voluntary steps. All this time the spinal
nerve paths apparently had been under
going progressive regeneration.
After this the woman was lost sight
of for several years. She still was alive
in 1920 but was completely paralyzed.
There was no feeling and no possibility
of voluntary movement in the lower
half of her body, Nature had asserted
itself against the impossible" The
woman remained in this helpless con-
dition until she died in 1925.
But her case was the one in million
which afforded startling contradiction
to what supposedly was an unbreakable
law of nature. There Is no record as
to what may have made the difference.
although there is a possibility the VIC
tim may have been suffering from some
fever producing infection at the time
of the wound.
Nerve Fiber Not Cause Of Failure.
DR.. Windle's cat experiments seem to
provide at least part of the answer. The
experimental cats recovered some abil-
ity to walk voluntarily after about three
months. But after short while they
deteriorated again, becoming helpless.
Inhibition to building the glial walls
had failed. The significant finding is
that nerve fiber itself is not responsible
for the failure to regenerate and this
eventually may prove of enormous med
ical Importance. Some of the most
pathetic victims of the World War II
and the Korean war are soldiers who
received spinal cord wounds.
1t long has been known. DR.. Windle
reported, that nerve regeneration takes
place in some of the lower orders OF
vertebrates and also. to some slight ex-
tent, the newborn and very young
mammals. It is lost with the increasing
complexity of the nervous system with
evolution and age.
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