PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS OF ACUTE SPINAL CORD INJURY

In the past 5 years, significant advances have been made in our understanding of pharmacological therapy of acute spinal cord injury, to the extent the several controlled multicenter clinical trials are underway. A three day conference devoted to a detailed and critical review of the pharmacological treatments of acute spinal cord injury is proposed. Two classes of drugs will be specifically targeted for review: steroids and opiate receptor blockers. Funds are requested to cover the per diem and travel expenses of 10 invited speakers to this conference. The conference will be in 3 parts. The first is concerned with the theoretical basis and mechanisms of these two classes of drugs. The second will focus on the laboratory studies indicating efficacy. The third will cover the current clinical trails. The proceedings of the conference will be published within 6 months after the conference and distributed widely to researchers and clinicians interested in pharmacological treatments of spinal cord injury. Specific aims of the conference include not only better dissemination of information concerning treatments of acute spinal cord injury but clarification of the mechanisms of high dose steroids and opiate receptor blockers as treatments of central nervous system injury. It is hoped that by bringing together researchers investigating these two classes of drugs, the discussion will yield insights into commonalities between the two. The conference will be held at NYU, under the auspices of the NYU Post-graduate School of Medicine, in Spring of 1987. The proceedings will be published as a supplement to the journal CNS Trauma.