Spinal cord injuries may throw off internal body clock, study finds

Spine

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin explored the effects of spinal cord injuries on the circadian system.

The study was published in eNeuro.

Here are three things to know:

1. Study authors sought to understand how moderate spinal cord injuries in rat models affect the flow of information, specifically rhythms of hormones, core temperature, movement and immune genes far from the injury site.

2. Results showed circadian rhythms of hormones, body temperature and movement were all disrupted by moderate spinal cord injuries.

3. In turn, widespread disruption occurred throughout the rats' bodies. However, researchers are optimistic, noting that identifying the disruptions could lead to the development of 'chronotherapies' to promote recovery.

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