summary: Scientists have discovered a specialized group of interneurons spinal cord that helps to regulate breathing when the body faces challenges such as high levels of carbon dioxide. Preventing these nerve cells weakened the body’s ability to adapt its breathing, indicating that they play a major role in respiratory control.
This penetration can lead to new treatments for people with spinal cord injuries or neurological degenerative diseases that struggle to breathe independently. Researchers believe that neurons can be a treatment that can be accessed and promised to improve respiratory health.
Main facts
- New goal: Interneurons has the spinal cord that regulates breathing in response to physiological stress.
- Therapeutic capabilities: It can lead to treatments to breathe spinal cord problems and nervous degeneration diseases.
- Critical function: The prohibition of these neurons reduces the body’s ability to respond to high CO₂ levels, a condition that can threaten life.
source: Western reserve bag
The late actor Christopher Reef, who was famous for Superman in the 1970s and 1980s, became active in spinal cord injury research after he was paralyzed in a horse riding accident-which makes him user in a lifelong wheelchair and a ventilation device.
Reef, who died in 2004, was among about 300,000 people living at the national level with spinal cord injury, with respiratory complications was the most common cause of disease and death, according to the Christopher and Dana Reef Foundation, which he and his late wife created to support research.
But the results of a new study, led by researchers at the College of Medicine at the Western Reserve, shows a promise that a group of neurons in the brain and spinal cord – called interneurons – enhances breathing when the body faces some physiological challenges, such as exercise and environmental conditions associated with height.
Researchers believe that their discovery can lead to treatment treatments for patients with spinal cord injuries who are struggling to breathe on their own.
Their results were recently published in the magazine Cell reports.
“We know that the brain system determines the rhythm of breathing,” said Polyxen Philippidou, a associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Western Medicine College and the main researcher. “
The cooperative research team from St. Andrews University in the United Kingdom, Calgary University in Canada and the Academy of Biomedical Research in Athens, Greece.
The legacy of spinal cord research in CWRU
The Department of Neuroscience at the College of Medicine is studying the motor circles and spinal cord injury for more than 30 years, starting with the late Jerry Silver, a founding member of the department that was recognized by the countryside Foundation for his work.
Silver, who died in January, was a member of the Scientific Consultative Council of the countryside and the Scientific Council of the International Document Fund in England. He received the Christopher Reef Joan Irvin’s research medal for cash contributions to promoting the repair of the damaged spinal cord; He also published the countryside Foundation after his death.
In addition, the head of the department department, Lynn Landser, who died in late 2024, was a leading neuroscience and helped develop the brain health initiative in Cleveland at Medical College. He made pivotal contributions to the study of the development of the encyclopedia and was a member of the National Academy of Science.
the study
By identifying an interneurons as a new point and possibly easy to reach treatment in spinal cord injuries and breathing -related diseases, researchers believe that doctors may be able to develop treatments to help improve breathing in people with such cases.
The study showed that the signs of these spinal cord cells made it difficult for the body to breathe properly when there was a lot of carbon dioxide (CO2In the blood, a condition known as hypercapnia.
partner2 It is created in the body when cells are made energy. Red blood cells carry carbon dioxide2 From organs and tissues to the lungs, where exhale is done. If the body is not able to get rid of CO2It can accumulate in the blood, making it difficult to breathe and lead to respiratory failure.
“These spinal cord cells are important to help the body control its breathing in response to changes like high Co2 The levels, “Philipido said.
In this study, the team used genetically modified mouse models to explore the paths involved in breathing. The researchers assigned the connections of the neurons, measuring electrical activity, neurons, noticing the behavior of the models and used a microscope to visualize the structure of the neurons and function – all focus on spinal spinal nerve cells involved in breathing.
“We were able to identify the genetic identity, patterns of activity and the role of a specialized sub -group of spinal neurons participating in breathing control,” said Filipido.
The team now tests whether targeting these neurons in neurological degenerative diseases such as atrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Le George, can help Alzheimer’s disease restore breathing.
About this spinal cord research and nerve research
author: Polyxen Philippidou
source: Western reserve bag
communication: Polyxen Philippidou – Case Western Reserve
image: The image is attributed to news of neuroscience
The original search: Open access.
“Colicy spine course for adaptive breathing controlPolyxeni Philippidou et al. Cell reports
a summary
Colicy spine course for adaptive breathing control
The ability to amplify the mint neurons (MN) is necessary to generate high -density motor procedures. This is crucial to breathing that must be quickly adjusted to accommodate the changing metabolic requirements.
While the brain stem circuits generate the breathing rhythm, the paths that directly increase the MN product are not well understood.
Here, we plan the first -class inputs to the veneic motor nerve cells (PMNS), a group of the main MN aphids that begin to shrink the diaphragm to push breathing.
We define the prevailing spinal inputs from a distinctive sub -group of genetically defined V0C Colinurons interneurons.
We find that these internalists receive Fazi excitement from the respiratory centers in the brain, and the increase in the producer of PhRNIC through the m2 receptors, and are widely activated in light of the Hypercapnia challenge.
Specifically, the choleuron nervous transmission silence weakens the breathing response to Kapia’s hyperactivity.
Collectively, the results we have reached a spinal path that plows breathing, which represents a potential target to enhance breathing recovery after the spinal cord injury.
2025-08-12 21:46:00
