Abstract
During the course of investigating a series of 76 patients with traumatic paraplegia at autopsy, a detailed histological examination of the spinal cords was carried out by serial sectioning. Evidence of well-developed axon regeneration in or near the damaged segments was found in 12 cases, and this is presented.
In these cases showing regeneration, the time elapsing after injury ranged from 12 months to 32 years. The regenerating axons occurred in small bundles both above and below the level of maximal cord damage which was situated in cervical (three cases), thoracic (five cases), and lumbar (four cases) segments. The possible sources of origin of these axons as seen in serial section or deduced from their positions are discussed.
A historical review of the pertinent literature on regeneration in the spinal cord after injury both in man and in the experimental animal is included.
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Wolman, L. Axon regeneration after spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 4, 175–188 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1966.23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1966.23
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