| Home
 |
Breathing Research Related to Spinal Cord Injuries |
After 20 years of research with
animal models of cervical spinal cord injury the laboratory of
Dr. Harry Goshgarian has discovered alternate pathways connecting
the breathing cells in the brain with the spinal cord cells that
control the breathing muscles. Techniques
were discovered using the drug theophylline, to significantly improve
respiratory muscle function in an animal
model after cervical
spinal cord injury.
We took the knowledge that was acquired through animal research
and developed a way to test the effectiveness of theophylline on
treating
respiratory muscle weakness in humans who have suffered from cervical
spinal cord injuries.
The first study designed was carried out in 1998 as a case study in
one patient who had been injured more than 20 years prior to the study.
Her improvement after taking Theophylline ranged from 20 percent to
171 percent.
Based on the positive results of the first study, a second and more
ambitious study is currently underway. We are looking at the effects
of Theophylline on the breathing capacity of a larger number of cervical
spinal cord injured individuals. Through this work we hope to find
a good treatment option for those suffering from breathing problems
related to their injury.
We hope this site will answer the questions you have about the research
we have done and we're planning on persuing on alternative breathing
pathways.
|
Research
