Spinal cord injuries typically result in permanent paralysis and loss of sensation, posing significant challenges for those affected and the health care system. In most cases, spinal cord injuries are contusion injuries, in which some of the fibers are damaged by compression while others remain intact. Currently available treatment approaches can only improve functional recovery to a limited extent.

Using the protein hyper-interleukin-6 (hIL-6), which can bind directly to nerve cells, the researchers activated signaling pathways in both injured and uninjured nerve cells. What makes this approach unique is that hIL-6 is produced within the nerve cells themselves following the injection of a vector virus into the motor cortex. The motor cortex is a region of the brain responsible for planning, controlling, and executing movements. From there, IL-6 is transported along existing neural pathways, reaching key motor areas in deeper brain regions (the brainstem) that can be stimulated.