Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating, debilitating, and life-altering condition that currently lacks a definitive cure or highly effective treatment options. Following SCI, both descending and ascending neural communication pathways between the brain and the peripheral nervous system are abruptly disrupted. This results in profound sensory, motor, and autonomic deficits. The primary mechanical trauma initiates a cascade of secondary damage processes, which include inflammation, cell death, demyelination, and loss of neuronal and glial function. These processes provoke both degenerative events and adaptive responses within the affected neural circuits.

The overarching aim of this Research Topic is to gather cutting-edge research focused on unraveling the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive spontaneous adaptation or are engaged in response to therapeutic interventions following SCI. We invite manuscripts that address—but are not limited to—the following areas:

o Identification and characterization of novel molecular and transcriptional regulatory pathways activated during the acute, subacute, and chronic phases of SCI, especially those linked to neuroprotection, plasticity, or regeneration.

o Cellular responses of neurons, glia (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes), endothelial cells, and infiltrating immune cells, and how these responses contribute to tissue repair or further degeneration.

o Mechanisms of neuroinflammation and its dual roles in injury and recovery, including modulation of the immune response for therapeutic benefit.

o Novel experimental approaches to functional recovery, such as pharmacological, genetic, stem cell-based, or rehabilitative interventions, and their cellular-level outcomes.

o Structural and functional plasticity: How surviving neural networks adapt to the loss of connectivity, including synaptogenesis, axonal sprouting, and remyelination.
o Interplay between extracellular matrix remodeling, glial scar formation, and axonal regeneration in the injured microenvironment.

o Translational insights from animal models to human studies that help define the clinical relevance of cellular and molecular findings.

By collecting studies that elucidate the interplay of degenerative and adaptive cellular and molecular responses—whether spontaneous or therapeutically stimulated—this Research Topic aims to define the complex landscape of post-injury plasticity, repair, and dysfunction in the spinal cord. Advancing our understanding of these mechanisms holds great promise for the development of novel therapeutic strategies, and ultimately for improving outcomes for individuals living with SCI.

We particularly encourage submissions that utilize advanced technologies such as single-cell transcriptomics, in vivo imaging, optogenetics, and other innovative tools to dissect cellular heterogeneity and intercellular communication within the injured spinal cord.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning adaptation and recovery after spinal cord injury