Carbohydrate Considerations for Athletes with a Spinal Cord Injury

The Paralympic movement is growing in popularity, resulting in increased numbers of athletes with a spinal cord injury (SCI) competing in various sport disciplines. Athletes with an SCI require specialized recommendations to promote health and to maximize performance, as evidenced by their metabolic and physiological adaptations. Nutrition is a key factor for optimal performance; however, scientifically supported nutritional recommendations are limited. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the importance of carbohydrates (CHO) for health and performance in athletes with an SCI. Factors possibly affecting CHO needs, such as muscle atrophy, reduced energy expenditure, and secondary complications are analyzed comprehensively. Furthermore, a model calculation for CHO requirements during an endurance event is provided. Along with assessing the effectiveness of CHO supplementation in the athletic population with SCI, the evaluation of their CHO intake from the available research supplies background to current practices. Finally, future directions are identified. In conclusion, the direct transfer of CHO guidelines from able-bodied (AB) athletes to athletes with an SCI does not seem to be reasonable. Based on the critical role of CHOs in exercise performance, establishing recommendations for athletes with an SCI should be the overall objective for prospective research.

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Critical role of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 in acrolein sequestering in rat spinal cord injury

Neural Regeneration Research ◽

10.4103/1673-5374.330613 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 17 (7) ◽

pp. 1505

Author(s):

Riyi Shi ◽

SethA Herr ◽

Liangqin Shi ◽

Thomas Gianaris ◽

Yucheng Jiao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ◽

Critical Role ◽

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 ◽

Rat Spinal Cord ◽

Cord Injury

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Critical role of microglia in the inflammatory response after spinal injury

American Journal of BioMedicine ◽

10.18081/2333-5106/015-03/453-462 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 453-462

Author(s):

Ya-Yun Shi

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Inflammatory Responses ◽

Spinal Injury ◽

Critical Role ◽

Cell Types ◽

Inflammatory Factors ◽

Cytokines And Chemokines ◽

Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury induces a robust neuroinflammatory response that includes marked changes in the variety of endogenous CNS cell types specially microglia. In response to spinal injury, microglia undergo dramatic changes in cell morphology and promote inflammatory responses, which result in production of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress including reactive oxygen species. Further pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are also rapidly up-regulated and likely contribute to microglial activation. This topic review will explore the current research on microglial responses to spinal injury and the recent progress in the pharmacologic and molecular targeting of microglia in spinal injury. Finally, we explore the argument for a positive versus negative role of microglia after spinal cord injury.

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Critical Role of p38 in Spinal Cord Injury by Regulating Inflammation and Apoptosis in a Rat Model

Spine ◽

10.1097/brs.0000000000003282 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (7) ◽

pp. E355-E363 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Heng-Wei Zhang ◽

Jian-Dong Ding ◽

Zeng-Shan Zhang ◽

Si-shun Zhao ◽

Kang-ying Duan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Rat Model ◽

Critical Role ◽

Cord Injury

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Critical Role of Connexin 43 in Secondary Expansion of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Journal of Neuroscience ◽

10.1523/jneurosci.1216-11.2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 32 (10) ◽

pp. 3333-3338 ◽

Cited By ~ 83

Author(s):

C. Huang ◽

X. Han ◽

X. Li ◽

E. Lam ◽

W. Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Connexin 43 ◽

Critical Role ◽

Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Cord Injury

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Endogenous Neural Progenitor Cells as Therapeutic Target After Spinal Cord Injury

Physiology ◽

10.1152/physiol.00017.2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 23 (5) ◽

pp. 296-304 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Franz-Josef Obermair ◽

Aileen Schröter ◽

Michaela Thallmair

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Neural Progenitor Cells ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Neural Progenitor ◽

Injured Spinal Cord ◽

Therapeutic Approaches ◽

Cord Injury

Growing knowledge about the role of neural progenitor cells supports the hope that stem cell-based therapeutic approaches aimed at restoring function in the lesioned central nervous system can be established. Possible therapies for promoting recovery after spinal cord injury include stimulating the formation of neurons and glial cells by endogenous progenitor cells. This article reviews the current knowledge about the nature of adult progenitor cells in the intact and injured spinal cord and summarizes possibilities and limitations of cellular replacement strategies based on manipulations of endogenous spinal cord progenitor cells and their environment.

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