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Restoring insulation
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| Comparison of normal and damaged
spinal cords. |
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Blight’s inspection of damaged spinal cords had also uncovered a
great number of nerves that were uncut, but lacking their insulating sheath,
normally provided by a protein called myelin.
(An immune attack on the body’s own myelin is the cause of the neurological
disease multiple sclerosis
(MS).) This provided the rationale for tests of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP,
or fampridine), an existing experimental drug. Fampridine was known to
jam holes in the cell that are normally sealed by the myelin wrapping.
4-AP is not a wonder cure, but "no one’s ever felt that," says Blight. "It’s a first step to do something in the chronic stage." Although 4-AP will not heal SCI, and cannot substitute for all the functions of myelin, a continuous dose may improve some symptoms, such as bowel, urinary and sexual function. Trials are ongoing.
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Rebuilding Superman 
Biotech Applied Index
