2025-06-26 チャルマース工科大学
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and the University of Auckland in New Zealand have developed a groundbreaking bioelectric implant that restores movement in rats after injuries to the spinal cord. This breakthrough offers new hope for an effective treatment for humans suffering from loss of sensation and function due to spinal cord injury.
<関連情報>
- https://news.cision.com/chalmers/r/spinal-cord-injuries-can-heal-with-the-help-of-electricity,c4169244
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60332-0
ラット胸部挫滅脊髄損傷後の機能的転帰を改善する毎日の電場治療 Daily electric field treatment improves functional outcomes after thoracic contusion spinal cord injury in rats
Bruce Harland,Lukas Matter,Salvador Lopez,Barbara Fackelmeier,Brittany Hazelgrove,Svenja Meissner,Simon O’Carroll,Brad Raos,Maria Asplund & Darren Svirskis
Nature Communications Published:26 June 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60332-0
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause permanent loss of sensory, motor, and autonomic functions, with limited therapeutic options available. Low-frequency electric fields with changing polarity have shown promise in promoting axon regeneration and improving outcomes. However, the metal electrodes used previously were prone to corrosion, and their epidural placement limited the penetration of the electric field into the spinal cord. Here, we demonstrate that a thin-film implant with supercapacitive electrodes placed under the dura mater can safely and effectively deliver electric field treatment in rats with thoracic SCI. Subdural stimulation enhanced hind limb function and touch sensitivity compared to controls, without inducing a neuroinflammatory response in the spinal cord. While axon density around the lesion site remained unchanged after 12 weeks, in vivo monitoring and electrochemical testing of electrodes indicated that treatment was administered throughout the study. These results highlight the promise of electric field treatment as a viable therapeutic strategy for achieving long-term functional recovery in SCI.
