Researchers at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, have found that cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are among the leading causes of death in people who have experienced a spinal cord injury.
These often-chronic disorders can be related to dysfunction in visceral white fat (or adipose tissue), which has a complex metabolic role of storing energy and releasing fatty acids as needed for fuel and helping maintain stable blood sugar levels.
A recent animal study found that by quickly administering a short course gabapentin, a drug commonly prescribed for nerve pain, researchers successfully prevented the damaging metabolic effects of spinal cord injury in animal models.
Overall, this discovery opens the door to further research into new treatments targeting secondary health issues caused by spinal injuries.
To read the entire study published in Cell Reports Medicine click here.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave a Reply