New Recommendations for Local X-Ray Radiation Dose, and Time Window for Spinal Cord Injury

The glial scar is the principal inhibitor of axon regeneration and functional recovery in the central nervous system (CNS). Appropriate dose X-ray radiotherapy has been shown to suppress the formation of glial cells, thus promoting axonal regeneration, according to new findings by Chinese investigators.

Furthermore, radiation mitigates against the death and degeneration of neurons, and improves the recovery of locomotor function following spinal cord injury. However, the best treatment time window and radiation dose for spinal cord injury is still unknown.

Prof. Shiqing Feng and colleagues from the department of orthopedics, Tianjin Medical University (Tianjin, China) have confirmed that radiotherapy administered at a dose of 8 Gy can inhibit glial scar formation at the injury site and alleviate the inflammatory reaction; day seven post-injury may be the optimal time window for topical X-irradiation.

These findings were published July 2013 in the journal Neural Regeneration Research.

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