Can experiments in nonhuman primates expedite the translation of treatments for spinal cord injury in humans? (original) (raw)

Progress continues in the development of reparative interventions to enhance recovery after experimental spinal cord injury (SCI). Here we discuss to what extent rodent models of SCI have limitations for ensuring the efficacy and safety of treatments for humans, and under what circumstances it would be advantageous or necessary to test treatments in nonhuman primates before clinical trials. We discuss crucial differences in the organization of the motor systems and behaviors among rodents, nonhuman primates and humans, and argue that studies in nonhuman primates are critical for the translation of some potential interventions to treat SCI in humans.

Traumatic SCI has long-term health, economic and social consequences worldwide1,2, giving a sense of the urgency to the development of ways to treat it. Treatments that lead to at least partial functional recovery after SCI can substantially improve the quality of life of affected individuals. Consequently, there is considerable need to take to the clinic those interventions that have shown effectiveness in promoting functional improvement in laboratory animals.

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Acknowledgements

This paper summarizes the discussions that took place in a workshop sponsored and organized by the Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF). All authors are listed in alphabetical order with the exception of the primary and corresponding authors. Each author attended and took part in the discussions and in the formulation of the text. Contributions were also made by the following people: D.C. Dunbar, P.L. Strick, C. Darian-Smith and D.A. Washburn, although they were unable to attend the workshop. We would also like to thank N. Kleitman, representative from the US National Institutes of Health, for her helpful comments. Last, we wish to thank S. Howley of the CRF for her efforts in arranging all organizational aspects of the workshop, and the CRF International Research Consortium for funding the event.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Physiological Science and Neurobiology, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, California, USA
   Grégoire Courtine & V Reggie Edgerton
2. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, 33101, Florida, USA
   Mary Bartlett Bunge
3. Brain Repair Center, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 2PY, UK
   James W Fawcett
4. Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA
   Robert G Grossman
5. Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, 37203, Tennessee, USA
   Jon H Kaas
6. Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
   Roger Lemon
7. Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, CH-8057, Switzerland
   Irin Maier
8. Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, 10032, New York, USA
   John Martin
9. Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Landon Center on Aging, Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, 66160, Kansas, USA
   Randolph J Nudo, Lisa Schnell & Martin E Schwab
10. Laboratory of Neural Regeneration, Institute of Biomedicine, Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Valencia, 46010, Spain
    Almudena Ramon-Cueto
11. Institute of Physiology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
    Eric M Rouiller & Thierry Wannier

Authors

1. Grégoire Courtine
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2. Mary Bartlett Bunge
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3. James W Fawcett
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4. Robert G Grossman
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5. Jon H Kaas
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6. Roger Lemon
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7. Irin Maier
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8. John Martin
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9. Randolph J Nudo
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10. Almudena Ramon-Cueto
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11. Eric M Rouiller
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12. Lisa Schnell
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13. Thierry Wannier
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14. Martin E Schwab
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15. V Reggie Edgerton
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Corresponding author

Correspondence toV Reggie Edgerton.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Courtine, G., Bunge, M., Fawcett, J. et al. Can experiments in nonhuman primates expedite the translation of treatments for spinal cord injury in humans?.Nat Med 13, 561–566 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1595

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• Published: 03 May 2007
• Issue Date: May 2007
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1595