Abstract

Beneficial Effects of Novel Non-invasive therapeutic Acute Intermittent Hypoxia (AIH) to treat spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) damage the axonal pathways and disrupts synaptic communications between the brain and spinal cord, ultimately affecting multiple body functions and causing lifelong deficits, limiting functional independence. Functional recovery, especially arm function, is the highest priority of the persons living with an SCI. Most of the SCI is incomplete and left some spared axonal pathways. Spontaneous plasticity underlies some functional recovery, but it is slow, variable, and frustratingly limited. However, available therapies to overcome persistent motor deficits after an SCI are very limited. Recently, brief exposures to reduced oxygen (O2) levels alternating with normal O2 levels known as acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) have emerged as a novel noninvasive therapy. AIH has shown tremendous potential to induce spinal plasticity in respiratory and non-respiratory motor neurons and ultimately enhance locomotor function in animals and human subjects with an SCI. The application of AIH alone or in combination with rehabilitation training has demonstrated success as a therapeutic tool in improving critical physiological functions following an SCI in animals and humans. The present review aims to provide an overview of the therapeutic use of AIH to induce spinal plasticity in the neural network of the spinal cord to improve functional recovery in spinal injured animals and humans. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 23: August – September 2022: 01- 07.

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