Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Investigating the relationship between spinal alignment and trunk muscle strength, sitting balance and function in spinal cord injury.","authors":"Serdar Turoglu, Saadet Selin Koç, Salman Usman Shehu, Ayfer Ezgi Yilmaz, Nebahat Sezer, Bihter Akınoğlu","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2557079","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2557079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the relationship between spinal alignment and trunk muscle strength, sitting balance and functionality in individuals with spinal cord injury.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study included 46 individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) at T7 or below (AIS A or B) (mean age: 38.93 ± 14.43). Spinal alignment in a sitting posture was assessed using the DIERS Formetric Functional Spine and Posture Analysis System, while trunk muscle strength was measured with the DIERS Myoline Isometric Muscle Force Analysis System. Trunk balance was evaluated using the Trunk Control Test (TCT), Function in Sitting Test (FIST), and Modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT). Functional ability and independence were assessed with the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM-III).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis of the relationship between spinal alignment and trunk isometric muscle strength revealed a moderate positive correlation between trunk extensor strength and trunk length (r_s = -0.502) and a moderate negative correlation with vertebral rotation (+max) (r_s = -0.555). Also, a moderate negative correlation was found between trunk flexor strength and vertebral rotation (+max) (r_s = -0.480). No correlation was found between the spinal alignment and balance and functionality.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study shows that trunk extensor strength is significantly associated with spinal alignment parameters, such as vertebral rotation and trunk length, in individuals with spinal cord injury. However, no relationship was found between spinal alignment and sitting balance or functional performance. These results suggest that combining postural assessment and trunk strengthening in rehabilitation may help improve posture and mobility.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"962-973"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591977/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145208485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of active upper-limb and passive lower-limb exercise on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure outcomes in individuals with motor-complete spinal cord injury: A case-series.","authors":"Shane J T Balthazaar, Abdullah A Alrashidi, Katharine D Currie, Michèle Hubli, Daniel D Hodgkiss, Tom E Nightingale, Andrei V Krassioukov","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2630501","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2630501","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spinal cord injury (SCI) above the sixth thoracic segment (≥T6) often causes daily blood pressure (BP) fluctuations, increasing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the impact of arm cycle ergometry training (ACET) or body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) on 24-hour ambulatory BP variability (BPV) in individuals with SCI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this case-series, part of a prospective randomized clinical trial, adults (18-60 years) with motor-complete, chronic (>1 year) SCI between the C4-T6 segments performed 30-min of ACET or 60-min of BWSTT, thrice weekly for 24 weeks. BPV and median systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were assessed through 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted for analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ten participants (mean age 37 years; 8 males, 2 females) were evenly split between ACET and BWSTT groups. Both intervention groups showed a significant increase in median SBP (<i>P</i> = 0.009; η<b>_p²</b> = 0.590). However, no significant differences were observed between ACET and BWSTT for BPV, autonomic dysreflexia (AD) episodes, or hypotensive events. BPV metrics, including coefficient of variation (CoV), average real variability (ARV), and standard deviation (SD), did not reveal any significant changes post-intervention. The frequency of AD and hypotensive events remained unchanged across both intervention groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>ACET and BWSTT increased average median SBP in individuals with chronic motor-complete SCI, without significantly impacting BPV, AD, or hypotensive events. Future research should explore strategies to manage BPV for individuals with SCI in a free-living environment (<i>i.e.</i> real-world setting).</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1160-1170"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591975/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147876509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analyzing spinal cord injury patients: Directly admitted compared to individuals transferred into level I trauma centers.","authors":"Teleale F Gebeyehu, Santiago David Mendoza-Ayús, Daniela A Perez-Chadid, Stavros Matsoukas, Alexander R Vaccaro, James S Harrop","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2548068","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2548068","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Regaining a higher degree of function after spinal cord injury (SCI) requires timely diagnosis and intervention. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) guidelines recommend that SCI should be treated in a designated Level I trauma center. Patients may initially go to lower-level trauma centers, delaying care. This study assesses whether the ACS recommendation is achieved by analyzing interhospital transfer (IHT) of SCI patients.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Retrospective study using Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation registry (2010 and 2020) to determine the trend of IHT of SCI patients, demographics, type and cause of trauma, level of SCI, presence of vertebral fracture, degree of SCI (complete vs. incomplete), in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, injury severity and discharge dispositions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 7,236 (658/year) patients with SCI between 2010 and 2020, an average of 29% were transferred yearly, while 71% were directly admitted. The mean age of transferred patients was 47.8 years and 45 for direct admissions. IHT rates were: Females 30.9%, males 28.1%; Caucasians 30.5%; fall and vehicle accident victims 34.6 and 34.3%; C5-C7 level injuries 31.8%; single region SCI 29.4% (vs. 26.1% for multiple regions); and incomplete SCI 29.7% (vs. 24.7% complete). In-hospital death was lower for transferred patients (17.3% vs. 82.7%). Length of stay was similar; home and rehab centers were the main destinations after discharge.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The ACS recommendation is challenging to achieve, despite patient demographics, causes of injury, or intrinsic characteristics of SCI. This warrants further study, with a goal to design, execute, and evaluate a mitigation plan.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1140-1151"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591963/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144976667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic effect of topiramate on paroxysmal tonic spasms in a Chinese woman with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease: A case report.","authors":"Jiali Zhu, Shanshan Zhan, Lijuan Liang","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2580122","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2580122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Context:</b> Painful tonic spasms (PTS) are a common symptom in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease (NMOSD). Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) such as carbamazepine serve as first-line therapeutic agents for PTS. However, hypersensitivity reactions to carbamazepine may occur in some patients, necessitating alternative treatment regimens. Currently, clinical reports on the efficacy of the newer-generation AED topiramate for PTS remain limited.<b>Findings:</b> In this case report, we described a 38-year-old Chinese woman with a 2-year history of NMOSD who developed episodic spasms and pain in the limbs. Unfortunately, adverse reactions occurred after the administration of carbamazepine, and she was tried on topiramate as an alternative therapy. About 2 months after treatment, she experienced significant relief of symptoms without adverse events.<b>Conclusion:</b> Our case report highlights that topiramate can be used as an alternative therapy for PTS in NMOSD patients who had cannot tolerate carbamazepine.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1171-1175"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591941/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145439215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnolol alleviates oxidative stress injury by modulating microglia activation and polarization in an experimental rat model of spinal cord injury.","authors":"Chunbao Yang, Li Yan, Jin Zhu, Shanqing Li, Ying An, Jianxiong Zheng, Yong Tang","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2614871","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2614871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Magnolol has been demonstrated to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The Nrf2/HO-1 pathway is associated with cellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. Thus, we investigated the role of magnolol in the development of spinal cord injury (SCI) and whether its function is mediated by the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>SCI was established in a T9 clip-compression animal model. Locomotor function and pain tolerance in SCI rats were evaluated using the open-field test, along with the assessment of the average Von Frey threshold and average tail flick response time. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Luxol Fast Blue staining were carried out to determine histopathological alterations. The levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione were measured to detect oxidative stress. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were measured to detect inflammation. Microglial and astrocytic activation and polarization were examined by immunofluorescence staining and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The levels of pathway-related proteins were measured by western blotting and RT-qPCR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Magnolol enhanced the locomotor function and mitigated the spinal cord impairment in rats with SCI. The pain tolerance in the SCI rat model was enhanced by magnolol treatment. Magnolol alleviated oxidative stress damage, decreased the activation of microglia and astrocytes, and promoted M2 and A2 polarization. Moreover, magnolol enhanced the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 in the injured spinal cords.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Magnolol alleviates oxidative stress damage by regulating the activation and polarization of microglia and astrocytes through the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in SCI rats.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"904-915"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591978/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148260280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Kinesio Taping in spinal cord injury rehabilitation: A scoping review.","authors":"Taner Dandinoğlu, Erkan Kaya","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2626116","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2626116","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Kinesio Taping (KT) is commonly used in musculoskeletal disorders and rehabilitation practice, but its role in spinal cord injury (SCI) has received little scientific attention.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on KT use in persons with SCI, describing how it has been applied, which outcomes were assessed, and the study designs employed.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eight databases were examined: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, PEDro, LILACS, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus, covering January 2000 to October 2025. We included human studies involving participants with SCI of any level or chronicity. Eligible studies used KT as an intervention and reported at least one clinical or functional outcome.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four studies met the inclusion criteria, including three randomized controlled designs and one observational add-on study. Across these studies, Kinesio Taping was applied alongside conventional rehabilitation and was associated with short-term changes in spasticity, postural control, hand function, or pressure injury outcomes; however, findings were heterogeneous and based on small samples.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Evidence on KT use in SCI remains limited. These preliminary findings require confirmation through larger well-controlled studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"886-894"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13592004/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146167579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mortality after traumatic spinal cord injury in Galicia, Spain.","authors":"Miguel Caparrós-Calle, María Elena Ferreiro-Velasco, Sebastián Salvador-De La Barrera, Ángela Palencia-Vidal, Patricia Vega-Gómez, Cristina Rodríguez-Lastres, Antonio Montoto-Marqués","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2614843","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2614843","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To analyze mortality, causes of death and survival in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in Galicia after discharge; compare global mortality and cause-specific mortality against the Galician population; and describe risk factors for mortality.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A retrospective cohort study.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>A spinal cord injury Unit from a tertiary referral hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cohort of TSCI patients discharged between January 2011 and December 2021. Causes of death (ICD-10) and survival time were obtained from the electronic health record. Global mortality and cause-specific mortality were compared with the Galician population using standardized mortality ratios (SMR). Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Risk factors were studied using a Cox proportional hazards regression model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 438 patients were included (74.89% men), of whom 122 died by 30 June 2024. Mean survival time was 122 months. Survival was decreased in older patients, those with complete cervical injuries and women. TSCI patients had an increased mortality (SMR 2.2) compared with the Galician population. The most common causes of death were respiratory diseases. Cause-specific SMRs were significantly increased for respiratory diseases (SMR 10.22), urinary tract diseases (SMR 16.92) and pressure ulcers (SMR 37.74). Risk factors for mortality were mechanical ventilation or tracheostomy at discharge, having an indwelling catheter at discharge, and destination place at discharge different from the patient´s previous home.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>TSCI patients in Galicia, especially women and older patients, have an increased mortality. Respiratory diseases are the most common cause of death. Special attention should be paid to respiratory management and destination after discharge.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1083-1094"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591949/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146144298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with post spinal cord injury employment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Bina Gyawali, Douglas Gross, Rija Kamran, Adalberto Loyola-Sanchez","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2672824","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2672824","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To identify factors associated with post spinal cord injury (SCI) employment, exploring differences between high-income (HIC) and low/middle-income (LMIC) countries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis included, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Articles discussing post-SCI employment were included and excluded if data were not disaggregated by \"employed/unemployed\" or did not include SCI-only sub-groups. Factors reported in three articles were considered for meta-analyses, using a random effects model to estimate odds ratios (OR) and mean differences (MD).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fifty-two articles were included. Forty-six studies were from HIC and six from LMIC. Twelve factors were significantly associated with post-SCI employment: Paraplegia (OR: 1.39), living alone (OR: 2.59), driving (OR: 4.76), no wheelchair use (OR: 0.44), (5), less activity limitations (MD: 0.67), being married (OR: 1.49), (7) being white (OR: 2.16), being younger at the time of study (MD: -0.24) and at the time of injury (MD: -0.30), time since injury (MD: 0.31), higher education (OR: 2.20), and income (OR: 0.15). Subgroup analyses showed that three of these factors were significantly associated with post-SCI employment only in HIC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>All factors significantly associated with post-SCI employment were identified in HIC studies; there is a paucity of evidence on factors in LMIC.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"981-1012"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13592010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148158762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Secondary spinal fracture risk among patients residing in medically vulnerable areas: A population-wide study.","authors":"Younghan Cha, Minah Park, Jae-Hyun Kim, Seung Hoon Kim","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2569918","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10790268.2025.2569918","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study examined regional healthcare disparities' impact on the secondary fracture risk following spinal fractures, the likeliest secondary fracture types, and associated risk factors.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Participants were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Sample Cohort. Secondary fractures were hip, wrist, humerus, spine, ankle, and pelvis fractures six months after the spinal fracture. The medically vulnerable regions were defined using the PARC index. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine differences in the secondary fracture.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1,135 and 2,426 of the participants lived in medically severely-vulnerable and moderately-vulnerable regions, respectively. Among patients who had spinal fractures, those residing in severely-vulnerable areas had 1.16 times higher risk of secondary fractures compared to those residing in medically non-vulnerable areas. Within 25-84 months after spinal surgery, patients in severely-vulnerable regions had 1.28 times higher secondary fracture risk.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Among patients with spinal fractures, those residing in medically vulnerable areas have a higher secondary fracture risk than those living in non-vulnerable areas. Policy measures are crucial for preventing secondary fractures in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1074-1082"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591981/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145294211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spastic and non-spastic spinal cord injury induce systemic reproductive impairment via alterations in testicular morphology, microenvironment, spermatogenesis, and modulation of sperm parameters.","authors":"Lahanya Guha, Hemant Kumar","doi":"10.1080/10790268.2026.2709255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10790268.2026.2709255","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context/objectives: </strong>spinal cord injury (SCI) is frequently associated with male sexual dysfunction, including impaired spermatogenesis and poor semen quality. However, experimental models that accurately reflect injury-level-specific reproductive outcomes remain limited. This study aimed to establish thoracic (spastic) and sacral (non-spastic) SCI rat models and investigate differential effects on testicular architecture, microenvironment integrity, spermatogenesis, and sperm quality.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Controlled <i>in vivo</i> experimental study.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Preclinical laboratory-based investigation.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats: thoracic sham (T₁₂ laminectomy), sacral sham (S₂ laminectomy), thoracic SCI (T₁₂ contusion), and sacral SCI (S₂ contusion).</p><p><strong>Interventions: </strong>Induction of level-specific spinal cord contusion injuries at thoracic (T₁₂) and sacral (S₂) segments, with sham-operated controls.</p><p><strong>Outcome measures: </strong>Locomotor and sexual behavioral assessments (DPI 1-28); histological and molecular analysis of spinal cord and testicular tissues; evaluation of germ cell markers and blood-testis barrier (BTB) tight junction proteins; and quantitative sperm analysis (count, motility, viability, morphology).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thoracic and sacral SCI produced distinct behavioral phenotypes, confirming successful establishment of spastic and non-spastic injury models. Thoracic SCI resulted in marked locomotor impairment, whereas sacral SCI preserved locomotor function to a greater extent while producing pronounced sensory dysfunction and alterations in sexual behavior. Both injury models significantly impaired mounting, intromission, and ejaculation parameters. SCI was associated with degeneration of seminiferous tubules, reduced epithelial height, disruption of blood-testis barrier integrity, altered expression of tight junction proteins (Occludin and ZO-1), and suppression of spermatogenic markers including STRA8, SCP3, PIWIL1, and TNP1. These changes were accompanied by reductions in sperm viability, count, and motility, together with increased sperm morphological abnormalities. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that SCI induces systemic reproductive deficits extending from neural injury to testicular pathology and impaired sperm quality.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>SCI triggers a progressive pathophysiological cascade that extends beyond neural damag to impair male reproductive function. The established thoracic and sacral SCI models provide a robust, translational platform for studying injury-level-specific reproductive dysfunction and developing targeted therapeutic interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":50044,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148800936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}