SECONDARY SPINAL CORD INJURY " (2013). All Dissertations. Paper 1088. SUSTAINED RELEASE OF ESTROGENS FROM PEGYLATED NANOPARTICLES FOR TREATMENT OF SECONDARY SPINAL CORD INJURY

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition which causes neurological damage and can result in paralysis. SCI results in immediate mechanical damage to the spinal cord, but secondary injuries due to inflammation, oxidative damage, and activated biochemical pathways leading to apoptosis exacerbate the injury. The only currently available treatment, methylprednisolone, is controversial because there is no convincing data to support its therapeutic efficacy for SCI treatment 1. Because of its inability to show marked improvement in SCI patients, methylprednisolone does not have approval from the FDA, and remains classified as an optional treatment for SCI. In the absence of an effective SCI treatment option, 17β-estradiol has gained significant attention for its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic abilities, all events associated with secondary SCI. When applied to SCI animal models for treatment, significant functional recovery has been reported. Sadly, estradiol is prothrombotic and leads to thromboembolic events which are exacerbated in the individuals with SCI due to thei