Dogs with paralyzed hind legs could walk again courtesy of a shot of a chemical cousin of antifreeze that helped repair nerve cells in their damaged spinal cords.

For the research, 19 paraplegic dogs were injected with polyethylene glycol, a nontoxic liquid polymer containing the same type of molecules found in antifreeze.

"This stuff is kind of like a radiator stop-leak for the nervous system. The polymer spreads out and forms a seal over the damaged areas in the nerve cells and allows the membrane below to reconstruct itself," explains Richard Borgens, director of Purdue's Center for Paralysis Research.

Within eight weeks, 13 of the 19 canines regained the use of their hind legs and some were able to walk almost as well as before their injury.

The researchers hope the therapy can soon be tried in people, but caution that there are significant differences between human and canine spinal cords.

Via Mercury News and New Scientist.
Picture, via Glubibulga.