Significant breakthrough in the treatment of spinal injuries.

A University of Cambridge team is close to a breakthrough treatment which could potentially allow damaged nerve fibers to regenerate within the spinal cord.

It may also encourage the remaining undamaged nerve fibers to work more effectively.

Spinal injuries are difficult to treat because the body cannot repair damage to the brain or spinal cord.

Although it is possible for nerves to regenerate, they are blocked by the scar tissue that forms at the site of the spinal injury.

The Cambridge team has identified a bacteria enzyme called chondroitinase which is capable of digesting molecules within scar tissue to allow some nerve fibers to regrow.

The enzyme also promotes nerve plasticity, which potentially means that remaining undamaged nerve fibers have an increased likelihood of making new connections that could bypass the area of damage.

In preliminary tests, the researchers have shown that combining chondroitinase with rehabilitation produces better results than using either technique alone.

Lead researcher Professor James Fawcett said:

'It is rare to find that a spinal cord is completely severed, generally there are still some nerve fibers that are undamaged.

Chondroitinase offers us hope in two ways; firstly it allows some nerve fibers to regenerate and secondly it enables other nerves to take on the role of those fibers that cannot be repaired.

Along with rehabilitation we are very hopeful that at last we may be able to offer paralyzed patients a treatment to improve their condition.

Dr Yolande Harley, of the charity Action Medical Research which funded the work, said:

'This is incredibly exciting, ground-breaking work, which will give new hope to people with recent spinal injuries.'

In the UK there are more than 40,000 people suffering from injuries to their spine, which can take the form of anything from loss of sensation to full paralysis.