Forty-threepatientswithchronicspinalcordinjuryforover6monthsweretransplantedwithembryonicolfactoryensheathingcells,2–4×106,intomultiplesitesintheinjuredareaunderthesurgicalmicroscope.Thesympatheticskinresponseinpatientswasmeasuredwithanelectromyography/evokedpotentialinstrument1daybeforetransplantationand3–8weeksaftertransplantation.SpinalnervefunctionofpatientswasassessedusingtheAmericanSpinalInjuryAssociationimpairmentscale.Thesympatheticskinresponsewaselicitedin32casesbeforeolfactoryensheathingcelltransplantation,whileitwasobservedin34casesaftertransplantation.Concomitantly,sympatheticskinresponselatencydecreasedsignificantlyandamplitudeincreasedsignificantlyaftertransplantation.TransplantationofolfactoryensheathingcellsalsoimprovedAmericanSpinalInjuryAssociationscoresformovement,painandlighttouch.Ourfindingsindicatethatolfactoryensheathingcelltransplantationimprovesmotor,sensoryandautonomicnervefunctionsinpatientswithchronicspinalcordinjury.
