Keio University · Medicine
Professor Syoichi Tashiro's research lab specializes in regenerative medicine and neurorehabilitation for spinal cord injury (SCI), focusing on combinatorial therapies that merge neural stem/progenitor cell (NS/PC) transplantation with rehabilitative interventions such as treadmill training and NMES. The lab investigates how rehabilitation enhances neural plasticity and functional recovery, particularly in the chronic phase of SCI, where tissue environment becomes refractory to treatment. Key research directions include the molecular mechanisms underlying BDNF-mediated restoration of KCC2 expression, which contributes to reduced spasticity and allodynia, and the cortical reorganization associated with sensorimotor recovery. The lab also explores synergistic effects between regenerative medicine and advanced neurorehabilitation to overcome the limitations of single therapies in chronic SCI.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Most studies targeting chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) have concluded that neural stem/progenitor cell (NS/PC) transplantation exerts only a subclinical recovery; this in contrast to its remarkable effect on acute and subacute SCI. To determine whether the addition of rehabilitative intervention enhances the effect of NS/PC transplantation for chronic SCI, we used thoracic SCI mouse models to compare manifestations secondary to both transplantation and treadmill training, and the two therapies
BDNF-mediated restoration of KCC2 expression underlies the suppression of spasticity and allodynia caused by rehabilitation.
Progress in regenerative medicine is realizing the possibility of neural regeneration and functional recovery in spinal cord injury (SCI). Recently, rehabilitation has attracted much attention with respect to the synergistic promotion of functional recovery in combination with neural stem/progenitor cell (NS/PC) transplantation, even in the chronic refractory phase of SCI. Nevertheless, sensory disturbance is one of the most prominent sequelae, even though the effects of combination or single th
Stem cell medicine has led to functional recovery in the acute-to-subacute phase of spinal cord injury (SCI), but not yet in the chronic phase, during which various molecular mechanisms drastically remodel the tissue and render it treatment-resistant. Researchers are attempting to identify effective combinatorial treatments that can overcome the refractory state of the chronically injured spinal cord. Regenerative rehabilitation, combinatorial treatment with regenerative medicine that aims to el
Our results suggest that NMES-based neurorehabilitation induces certain plastic changes in the primary sensory cortex and in cortices associated with sensorimotor processing in people with chronic stroke sequelae, which may explain the observed improvements in proprioception.
Abstract Stem cell-based regenerative therapy has opened an avenue for functional recovery of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Regenerative rehabilitation is attracting wide attention owing to its synergistic effects, feasibility, non-invasiveness, and diverse and systemic properties. In this review article, we summarize the features of rehabilitation, describe the mechanism of combinatorial treatment, and discuss regenerative rehabilitation in the context of SCI. Although conventional re
Cell transplantation therapy using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells (hiPSC-NS/PCs) is a new therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury (SCI). Preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of hiPSC-NS/PCs transplantation in the subacute phase of SCI. However, locomotor recovery secondary to hiPSC-NS/PCs transplantation is limited in the chronic phase, suggesting that additional treatment, including rehabilitative training, is required to ensure recove
Orthoses and insoles are among the primary treatments and prevention methods of refractory plantar ulcers in patients with Hansen's disease. While dynamic plantar pressure and tactile sensory disturbance are the critical pathological factors, few studies have investigated whether a relationship exists between these two factors. In this study, dynamic pressure measured using F-scan system and tactile sensory threshold evaluated with monofilament testing were determined for 12 areas of 20 feet in
Not only motor but also sensory function, especially tactile sensation, play a crucial role in the daily use of affected UE in chronic stroke patients with severe UE hemiparesis.
The hybrid TES-EEG approach can be used to probe after-effects of focal TES on neuronal activity in the targeted cortex.
There is no choice other than rehabilitation as a practical medical treatment to restore impairments or improve activities after acute treatment in people with spinal cord injury (SCI); however, the effect is unremarkable. Therefore, researchers have been seeking effective pharmacological treatments. These will, hopefully, exert a greater effect when combined with rehabilitation. However, no review has specifically summarized the combinatorial effects of rehabilitation with various medical agent
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Kyorin University Faculty of Medicine (814-01). The trial was registered in a public database: UMIN000048274.
Spinal cord injury causes longitudinal motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunctions. Despite advances in cell therapies, regenerative capacity in the injured spinal cord remains minimal, especially in the chronic phase, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. Rehabilitation, through physical exercise and functional training, enhances motor function by upregulating neurotrophic factors and promoting plasticity, serving as a complementary or standalone treatment. Although synergistic effect
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