Overcoming axon regeneration failure and psychopathology: how may gabapentinoids help boost CNS repair?

Spinal cord injury (SCI) at the cervical level compromises the function of both upper and lower extremities, thereby impeding an individual's ability to complete daily tasks required for independent living and profoundly affecting the overall quality of life among individuals afflicted by SCI and their families. Recovery of spinal cord functions may be attained by promoting the sprouting of non-injured axons and/or the regeneration of damaged axons. The regenerative capacity of neurons differs profoundly between animal lineages and within the mammalian central and peripheral nervous systems (Tedeschi et al., 2017). Whereas axons in the peripheral nervous system are able to mount a successful regenerative response after injury, long-distance axon regeneration fails in the adult mammalian central nervous system. To date, no therapeutic strategy that aims to restore function is currently available for SCI individuals.