The International Spinal Cord Repair organization honored Patrick Ganzer, PhD, of the Texas Biomedical Device Center, UT Dallas, for his research on vagus nerve stimulation, according to UT Dallas News Center.
Here are five observations:
1. Dr. Ganzer won a best paper award from the spine organization.
2. He found VNS combined with rehabilitation could improve neuroplasticitym, which involves the nervous system altering in reaction to new experiences.
3. Dr. Ganzer and his team tested the combined VNS and rehabilitation on rats. Those rats receiving VNS therapy in addition to rehabilitation demonstrated enhanced muscles that control grasping.
4. VNS therapy with rehabilitation helped restore 75 percent more forelimb strength when compared only rehabilitation, following a cervical spinal cord injury.
5. The researchers plan to test their theory for injures affecting both sides of the spinal cord.