Test of new experimental treatments for spinal cord injury using a pig model
For almost 4000 years spinal cord injury (SCI) was considered as an “ailment not to be treated”. Modern medicine has improved considerably the life spam and quality of SCI patients but a cure remains elusive. SCI results in a loss of signal conduction by the damaged nerve fibres descending from and ascending to the brain. Motor commands are prevented from being transmitted to the muscles distal to the lesion (paralysis). Similarly, sensory signals from regions below the injury are prevented reaching the brain. In addition the injury affects the autonomic nervous system resulting in urinary bladder, cardiovascular, sexual, gastro-intestinal and thermoregulation dysfunctions.
In general, past clinical trials using different experimental treatments have shown disappointing results without fundamental breakthroughs. These experimental therapies have been validated in rodents (mouse and rats) and directly translated to clinic. This has caused skepticism among clinicians and patient associations, who consider that data from rodents are not necessarily promising for human therapy. This underlines the need for a step between rodents and humans. In the past years we have developed a pig model for SCI. We have built a team of experts within different specialty such as veterinary medicine, neurosurgery, neuroscience, rehabilitation, urology, nanotechnology and functional electrical stimulation. All procedures have been established and we would like now to focus our efforts towards testing new experimental therapies such as neuroprotection, electrical stimulation, re-myelination, replacement of function using new technologies etc.
We propose to perform experiments during which a deeply anesthetized pig will undergo a surgical procedure to create a controlled injury. To obtain meaningful data we estimate that we need 30 pigs (15-25kg) over a time course of 4 years. Novel procedures such as implantation of electrodes or other electronic devices aiming at restoring motor, sensory or autonomic functions will be tested. Distress in these experiments will be minimal as the pig will be in deep anesthesia and sacrificed before waking-up. To further test the functionality of these devices, it will be necessary to implant them chronically. We will perform this in non-injured pigs. The animals will be followed by a trained veterinarian for the entire experiments and if necessary, it will be treated with good veterinary practice. Hence the distress for the pigs will be mild.
The benefits for patients and society could be invaluable. For the patients, even a small additional recovery is a great achievement. This will result in an increased independence and life quality. For society, it could result in the reduction of health care cost, the launch of new start-ups and an increased visibility of Norwegian research in the international scene.
Replacement of animal experiments in the research area is unfortunately not possible however, refinement and reduction is addressed in this application.
In general, past clinical trials using different experimental treatments have shown disappointing results without fundamental breakthroughs. These experimental therapies have been validated in rodents (mouse and rats) and directly translated to clinic. This has caused skepticism among clinicians and patient associations, who consider that data from rodents are not necessarily promising for human therapy. This underlines the need for a step between rodents and humans. In the past years we have developed a pig model for SCI. We have built a team of experts within different specialty such as veterinary medicine, neurosurgery, neuroscience, rehabilitation, urology, nanotechnology and functional electrical stimulation. All procedures have been established and we would like now to focus our efforts towards testing new experimental therapies such as neuroprotection, electrical stimulation, re-myelination, replacement of function using new technologies etc.
We propose to perform experiments during which a deeply anesthetized pig will undergo a surgical procedure to create a controlled injury. To obtain meaningful data we estimate that we need 30 pigs (15-25kg) over a time course of 4 years. Novel procedures such as implantation of electrodes or other electronic devices aiming at restoring motor, sensory or autonomic functions will be tested. Distress in these experiments will be minimal as the pig will be in deep anesthesia and sacrificed before waking-up. To further test the functionality of these devices, it will be necessary to implant them chronically. We will perform this in non-injured pigs. The animals will be followed by a trained veterinarian for the entire experiments and if necessary, it will be treated with good veterinary practice. Hence the distress for the pigs will be mild.
The benefits for patients and society could be invaluable. For the patients, even a small additional recovery is a great achievement. This will result in an increased independence and life quality. For society, it could result in the reduction of health care cost, the launch of new start-ups and an increased visibility of Norwegian research in the international scene.
Replacement of animal experiments in the research area is unfortunately not possible however, refinement and reduction is addressed in this application.