Endogenous repair after spinal cord contusion injuries in the rat

Contusion injuries of the rat thoracic spinal cord were made using a standardized device developed for the Multicenter Animal Spinal Cord Injury Study (MASCIS). Lesions of different severity were studied for signs of endogenous repair at times up to 6 weeks following injury. Contusion injuries produced a typical picture of secondary damage resulting in the destruction of the cord center and the chronic sparing of a peripheral rim of fibers which varied in amount depending upon the injury magnitude. It was noted that the cavities often developed a dense cellular matrix that became partially filled with nerve fibers and associated Schwann cells. The amount of fiber and Schwann cell ingrowth was inversely related to the severity of injury and amount of peripheral fiber sparing. The source of the ingrowing fibers was not determined, but many of them clearly originated in the dorsal roots. In addition to signs of regeneration, we noted evidence for the proliferation of cells located in the ependymal zone surrounding the central canal at early times following contusion injuries. These cells may contribute to the development of cellular trabeculae that provide a scaffolding within the lesion cavity that provides the substrates for cellular infiltration and regeneration of axons. Together, these observations suggest that the endogenous reparative response to spinal contusion injury is substantial. Understanding the regulation and restrictions on the repair processes might lead to better ways in which to encourage spontaneous recovery after CNS injury.

[Motivation for medical studies]

The authors submit results of three years' research which provided data on motivations leading to interest in medical studies among students. The results obtained by questionnaires from 304 respondents mention in the first place from a total of 30 identified elements interest in human biology, the functional influence of the family and emotional aspects. Confrontation of motivation with the achieved classification results during examinations revealed that the best mean marks are achieved by students motivated to medical studies by humanity, efforts to acquire more knowledge and active work in the Red Cross while still at primary and secondary school. In the respect women predominate. Less favourable average marks were recorded in those motivated by subjective motives and undefined interest. The assembled findings can be used in the process of education and training by aimed differentiation of the teaching process.