Hormonal therapy in traumatic spinal cord injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Endocrinology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) presents significant health challenges.
• Pathophysiology and treatment strategies for SCI are active areas of research.
• Hormonal influences on SCI outcomes require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the literature on the effects of estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on spinal cord damage and preservation following traumatic SCI.
• To assess the clinical relevance of these hormones in improving neural structural integrity post-SCI.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the National Library of Medicine database via PubMed.
• Articles were selected based on their investigation of estrogen, progesterone, and hCG in the context of traumatic SCI.
• The search was limited to literature available up to December 2016.

Main Results:

• Estrogen, progesterone, and hCG demonstrated potential to mitigate harmful effects of SCI through various mechanisms in animal models.
• These hormones showed capacity to aid in restoring some function to the injured spinal cord.
• A significant reduction in neuroinflammation, a common consequence of central nervous system injury, was observed.

Conclusions:

• Estrogen and progesterone show therapeutic potential for traumatic spinal cord injury, primarily through anti-inflammatory effects.
• Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has received less research attention but warrants further investigation for SCI treatment.
• Additional research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and clinical applications of these hormones in SCI recovery.