United States: People suffering from spinal cord injuries in the US usually encounter other complications from this disorder linked to heart disease and diabetes.
Researchers discovered that following spinal cord damage, the activity of neurons triggers an accumulation of fats, which break down into compounds that spread and leak into organs such as the liver. This discovery was made through investigations in animals.
Andrea Tedeschi, senior study author and an assistant professor of neuroscience at Ohio State University’s College of Medicine, said, “These are quite rapid changes. As soon as we disrupt sensory processing as a result of spinal cord injury, we see changes in the fat,” as US News reported.
Tedeschi mentioned in a university news release this causes a “chain of reactions — triglycerides start breaking down into glycerol and free fatty acids that are released in circulation and taken up by the liver, the heart, the muscles, and accumulating, setting up conditions for insulin resistance.”
More about the study findings
The study also identified a potential treatment to mitigate the negative effects of spinal cord injuries on metabolism: Gabapentin, an anti-seizure medication, was found to block glucose and protein wasting in laboratory mice, thereby offsetting the negative metabolic effects.
Gabapentin works by inhibiting neurotransmitters, which become hyperactive and disrupt communication within the body following damage to the central nervous system, according to researchers.
“Gabapentin was found to improve metabolic functions,” Tedeschi said.
Researchers noted that among patients with spinal cord injuries, heart failure, and type-2 diabetes are among the most common causes of death. These diseases are believed to be linked to disruptions in the regulation of waist size and the rapid accumulation of fat, which is a complex process.
Adipose tissue, commonly known as fat, stores energy for later use and helps maintain blood sugar levels by releasing fatty acids as fuel, researchers found.
Sensory nerves play a crucial role in transmitting information from fat tissue to the body, aiding in localized healing processes. This led researchers to speculate that these nerves might be the underlying cause of the health issues observed in spinal cord injury patients, as reported by US News.
In an experiment with laboratory mice, researchers induced a segmented injury to the spine, leaving the sensory nerves intact but blocking the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” nervous system.
The experiment revealed a series of abnormal activities occurring seven days after the injury, with the sensory nerves sending signals to fat tissue.
Tedeschi described this as “a maladaptive reorganization of the sensory system.”