https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Spinal cord injuries affect an estimated 15 to 20 million people worldwide, often causing lasting impairments in movement, sensation and independence. Such injuries can be especially devastating when they occur at the level of the neck, where damaged spinal circuits disrupt signals that control the diaphragm, the main muscle used for breathing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-human-neurons-rebuild-spinal-cord.html Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:00:15 EDT news705143641 Australian researchers have discovered a previously overlooked group of bladder nerves that help detect urinary tract infections (UTIs) and trigger the body's response to clear them, providing a potential new target for future bladder pain therapies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-uti-good.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:40:03 EDT news705062341 The human brain contains various types of cells that collectively support its functions. In addition to neurons, nerve cells that communicate via electrical and chemical signals, it also relies on star-shaped cells known as astrocytes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-multinucleated-cells-brain-localized-astrocyte.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:20:03 EDT news704643632 For decades, medicine has chased a simple but elusive goal of delivering the right drug to the right place at the right time. New research from the University of Oregon suggests that when it comes to healing from injury, the timing of regenerative cues might be even more important than previously realized. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-injuries-regenerative-cues.html Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:00:04 EDT news703497877 Researchers in the Neuromechatronics Lab at Carnegie Mellon University have already proven that spinal cord stimulation can help people regain movement after stroke, but until now they didn't quite know how. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-mechanism-spinal-arm-movement.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:40:05 EDT news703513846 A neuroprosthetic system has helped a man with paralysis move his hand and feel touch again following a spinal cord injury, reports research published in Nature Medicine. Some of the system's benefits continued even when the device was turned off, suggesting that it may support longer-term recovery as well as help movement in real time. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-implant-paralyzed-cup.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:01 EDT news703427524 The skull heals its cracks, the bruises fade, the swelling subsides and the bleeding stops. From the outside, a traumatic blow to the head, whether from a battlefield blast, car crash or even a tackle gone wrong, may seem like it's healed. But that's only the opening act of traumatic brain injury (TBI). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-scientists-seizures-brains-gut-chemical.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:58:07 EDT news703407455 Humans cannot fully heal spinal cord injuries. When the spinal cord is damaged, the body's immune system often spirals into chaos. This overwhelming inflammatory response creates permanent scar tissue that stops nerve cells from ever repairing themselves or their connections. Zebrafish, however, have mastered the biological art of managing this cellular chaos to completely heal spinal cord damage. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-maestros-good-immune-cells-regenerate.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:20:01 EDT news703346155 What if people who have lost the ability to feel their hands could get that sense back—not through a prosthetic glove, but through tiny pulses of electricity delivered directly to the brain? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-brain-safely-decade.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:25 EDT news703314734 New research presented at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting highlights a significant step toward developing a stem cell-based treatment for chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), a condition for which no effective restorative therapy currently exists. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-stem-cell-strategy-chronic-spinal.html Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:30:01 EDT news702801785 Taking part in sport offers more than just improved fitness or mental well-being for people with disability; it can also build confidence, independence and create a deeper sense of belonging in the community. Despite the well-known benefits, participation in sport by individuals with disability remains low. Around 5.5 million people live with a disability in Australia, but only 14% participate in sport at least once a week, compared with about 67% of Australians without disability. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-people-disability-sport.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:20:08 EDT news701944442 The three largest Medicare Advantage insurers turned down requests for post-hospital care at some of the highest rates among major plans, a federal watchdog has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-unitedhealth-humana-cvs-denied-hospital.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:40:01 EDT news701523173 In humans and other mammals, spinal cord injuries can be devastating, leading to permanent loss of movement, sensation and bladder control. When severed axons (the long fibers that carry messages between nerve cells) cannot regrow, a dense scar forms, preventing nerve signals from passing the injury site. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-spinal-injuries-pigs-experimental-gel.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:40:08 EDT news701439339 Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna, in collaboration with ETH Zurich, the Technical University of Munich and Medical Faculty Belgrade, have developed a wearable neurorobotic system that combines electrical neurostimulation with hand exoskeletons. In a clinical trial involving 14 patients with hand impairments caused by neurological injury, the technology supported finger mobility, tactile perception and grip control. The results demonstrate the potential of personalized assistive systems for people living with the consequences of spinal cord or brain injury. The study has recently been published in the journal Science Advances. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-combined-nerve-exoskeleton-patient-trial.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:20:08 EDT news701352061 A growing body of research suggests that sleep may be more than a symptom of Alzheimer's disease—it may also play a role in how the disease develops and progresses. Now, new research from the University of Kentucky's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging is shedding light on how everyday environmental factors and inflammation in the brain could influence sleep, circadian rhythms and Alzheimer's-related changes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-nighttime-affect-brain-health-alzheimer.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:20:04 EDT news701348882 Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, especially the optic nerves and spinal cord. These attacks, also known as flare-ups or relapses, can lead to blindness, paralysis, chronic pain and lasting neurological disability. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-mri-evidence-ongoing-neurodegeneration-neuromyelitis.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:20:02 EDT news701063941 A new study demonstrates that a person with severe paralysis caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can use a brain-computer interface (BCI) at home to communicate, work and interact with the digital world—without the need for researcher support. Published in Nature Medicine, the results mark a significant step toward delivering practical assistive technology for people with severe speech and motor impairments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-brain-interface-enables-independent-accurate.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:00:07 EDT news700747147 Fewer than one in four people with stroke and fewer than one in seven people with traumatic brain injury receive inpatient rehabilitation care after being hospitalized, according to a study published in Neurology Open Access. Researchers found disparities in access across sex, race, insurance coverage and income level. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-patients-brain-injury-inpatient-rehab.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:00:06 EDT news700241401 Muscle spasticity is a common and often debilitating consequence of spinal cord injury that can significantly affect mobility and quality of life. Spasticity is a condition in which muscles become abnormally stiff or tight because of disrupted nerve signaling, often causing exaggerated reflexes, involuntary muscle spasms, and difficulty with movement. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-gene-therapy-approach-muscle-spasticity.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:40:01 EDT news700203961 Cerebral palsy is the most common disability that starts in childhood, affecting about 50 million people worldwide. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-exoskeletons-people-cerebral-palsy-reality.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:20:06 EDT news699797523 For the roughly 300,000 Americans living with a spinal cord injury (SCI), chronic pain is often a part of daily life, and—for many—opioids are prescribed to combat it. In addition to the serious physical considerations, mental health concerns are prevalent in this population. Depression is common among individuals with SCIs, whose risk is three times higher than that of the general population. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-complex-relationship-opioids-suicidal-ideation.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:10:06 EDT news699633661 A new study by researchers at the University of Sydney has shown that taking cannabidiol (CBD) can significantly reduce chronic neuropathic pain in those suffering from it. The findings of the randomized placebo-controlled trial, published in eClinicalMedicine, demonstrated that taking CBD over a six-week period reduced pain by approximately 14%, compared to 6.5% from the placebo. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-cannabidiol-significantly-chronic-pain-nerve.html Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:02 EDT news699268613 Cambridge scientists have grown miniature circuits in the lab that mimic how the brain and spinal cord connect, which underlies human movement. They used this model to show how damage to these connections previously considered "irreversible" could, in fact, be reversible. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-lab-grown-brain-spinal-cord.html Thu, 28 May 2026 16:20:05 EDT news699200617 Glioblastoma is one of the most treatment-resistant brain tumors, making it especially difficult to treat. Part of that resistance stems from its unique tumor microenvironment—the complex mix of cells and biological activity surrounding the tumor. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-qa-advanced-imaging-brain-cancer.html Fri, 22 May 2026 17:00:03 EDT news698679850 Rugby league player Jai Arrow's recently announced diagnosis of motor neuron disease has again brought this devastating disease to public attention. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-motor-neuron-disease.html Fri, 22 May 2026 08:40:01 EDT news698650081 Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, such as following a spinal cord injury, has made great strides in recent years. However, high-frequency stimulation pulses, which are used in many current applications, appear less efficient at activating those nerve fibers that are believed to contribute decisively to therapeutic effects. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by an international team with the participation of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-spinal-reveal-high-frequency-pulses.html Thu, 21 May 2026 19:00:02 EDT news698593321 A new study led by Tel Aviv University offers real hope to millions worldwide affected by spinal cord injury (SCI), a devastating condition in which damage continues to spread after the initial trauma, often resulting in long-term and irreversible disability. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-early-iv-treatment-spinal-cord.html Mon, 18 May 2026 16:40:04 EDT news698338381 The human brain is remarkably complex, with trillions of connections that control how you move, think and feel. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-brain-implants-hacked.html Mon, 18 May 2026 12:00:10 EDT news698321402 An international research group has demonstrated that the antibody NG101 promotes the regeneration of damaged spinal cord tissue. Now, under the leadership of scientists at the University of Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, the group has revealed for the first time how the therapy actually works. With a boost from this novel antibody, new nerve fibers form functional connections once again, allowing patients to become more independent. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-antibody-spurs-nerve-fiber-regrowth.html Tue, 12 May 2026 05:00:03 EDT news697737541 Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one of the most devastating neurological conditions, severing communication between the brain and the body and leaving millions worldwide with permanent paralysis. Despite decades of research, restoring movement after spinal cord injury has remained one of neuroscience's most intractable problems. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-reconnecting-body-brain-europe-breakthrough.html Mon, 11 May 2026 19:20:04 EDT news697737061