While in Vancouver a few months ago, I was fortunate to visit with a couple of the people involved in Rick Hansen's Man in Motion Foundation. Pleasantly surprised to learn that their approach to solving the riddles of SCI appears to be at least as advanced as any I have seen in the States, I delved into their literature with much gusto.
Little seems to be heard about Rick Hansen down here in the States, but in Canada Rick is a national hero. Perhaps we have something to learn here. Rick was rendered paraplegic in a motor vehicle accident at age 15, similar to my son Joey's situation. Then he began an incredible world tour from March 1985 to May 1987, wheeling through 34 countries, over 24,900 miles in just over two years. During his 2-year Man in Motion World Tour, Rick heightened the world's awareness of the spirit and abilities of persons with disabilities, focusing attention on the POSSIBLE. At the same time, Rick's heroic journey created a $23 Million legacy fund to be used for spinal cord injury research and rehabilitation.
Following Rick's Man in Motion World Tour, he was appointed the Commissioner General to the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 88 in Australia, co-founded National Access Awareness Week, and was appointed Consultant on Disabilities to the President of the University of British Columbia in 1989. Today Rick is in heavy demand as a gifted speaker with a clear message of motivation and inspiration. His foundation is currently chaired by Dr. John D. Stevens, of the University of British Columbia. Past chair was Dr. Ann L. Acheson, staff scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in Tarrytown, New York.
The Man in Motion Foundation literature presents an interesting approach to the challenges facing the SCI community with the declaration that they represent a diverse program of research based on a broad based spectrum of Canadian expertise, focused on one of the most promising areas of contemporary neuroscience.
They recognize the significance of Albert Aguayo's discovery that CNS neurons are not intrinsically incapable of regenerating their axons, but that there is some feature in their environment that is inimical to nerve growth. The revolutionary understanding that the successful implantation of peripheral nerve grafts into the CNS and the resultant ability of these growing axons to make functional synaptic connections has led to attempts to devise therapeutic interventions designed to promote recovery of function.
The significance of trophic agents and substrate molecules over which growing fibers were able to extend was demonstrated by Aguayo's implanted peripheral nerve bridge. It was further observed that growing nerves have no intrinsic sense of direction, but need to be guided to their appropriate target sites by molecular cues in their environment. Then the discovery in Europe of molecular influences that inhibit axonal growth led to even more sophisticated research into molecular biology. Recently, much focus has been placed on the genetic aspects of growth-related genes involved in producing neurotrophins and inhibitory agents. A separate group of researchers is taking a rather novel approach to replace the lost neuronal impulses with electrical signals applied from devices outside the body, in an attempt to generate in the surviving nervous system and muscles, the type of responses that had disappeared as a consequence of the original injury.
In preface to the presentation of the six research themes (approaches, or strategies) we are reminded that there is no single magic bullet which is going to achieve the restoration of function to the traumatized nervous system. Within the Man in Motion organization, the following six themes are integrated into their Network.
I. Neuronal Survival and Protection
This strategy aims to protect and rescue neurons that may be damaged by an influx of calcium immediately after the injury, and to stimulate the nervous system to regenerate damaged cells.
II. Neutrophic Factors
The objective here is to determine how neurotrophins modify neuronal survival, sprouting, regeneration and connectivity after neural injury, and whether they can ultimately be used to facilitate recovery.
III. Growth Inhibitory Molecules
The approach is to identify inhibitory proteins and develop and deliver anti-inhibitory molecules.
IV. Regrowth and Reconnection in the Damaged Nervous System
The emphasis here is on the use of specific neural systems to understand and enhance the mechanisms involved in functional recovery.
V. New Gene Technology
The strategy is to isolate promoter elements that direct gene expression in glia and neurons, with the objective of being able to turn genes on and off at will.
VI. Functional Recovery
These overall objectives are:
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