Dr. Chioma Nwachukwu Links Walking and Organ Function Recovery in Breakthrough Research

In a rapidly evolving field at the intersection of neuroscience, rehabilitation, and supportive medicine, Dr. Nwachukwu, a dedicated medical professional and researcher, is gaining recognition for pioneering work that may transform the lives of people living with chronic, debilitating conditions. Renowned for her commitment to improving health in patients with hypertension, diabetes, HIV, cancers, and spinal cord injury (SCI), she has become a leading figure in clinical research aimed at enhancing quality of life through meaningful scientific advancement.

Her most recent achievements stem from groundbreaking, multiple-award-winning work at the Spinal Cord Research Center at the University of Manitoba, where she has significantly advanced scientific understanding of the neural networks that control both movement and autonomic organ function. The discovery holds immense promise for individuals with spinal injuries and the clinicians who care for them.

In recent years, advanced research and medical teams have observed a remarkable phenomenon: when thin electrical wires capable of delivering targeted currents are placed between the spinal cord and the backbone, patients with spinal cord injuries often regain not only the ability to walk but also experience improved functioning of major organs, including the heart. The mechanism behind this dual recovery has long puzzled scientists. Dr. Nwachukwu set out to answer the pressing question of why enhancing locomotion through spinal stimulation also boosts autonomic processes essential to life, and which neural pathways allow these improvements to occur simultaneously.

Her research uses mouse spinal cord models and employs a highly technical methodology designed to reveal how locomotor and autonomic circuits interact. Briefly, she explained that the upper portion of the mouse spinal cord is cut to expose a specific region, and a fluorescent dye is introduced to label sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs), which are cells vital for regulating organ activity. Next, drugs are applied to the lower region of the spinal cord to induce a rhythmic “walking effect,” mimicking the neural patterns that occur during actual locomotion/movement. As this simulated locomotion continues, specialized laboratory equipment records the brightness of the labeled neurons and tracks fluctuations in their activity. These recordings are then analyzed using advanced software to map patterns of calcium activity, a critical indicator of neuronal function.

For the first time, Dr. Nwachukwu and her team successfully captured sympathetic preganglionic neuron activity during rhythmic, movement-like neural stimulation. Their findings reveal that these SPNs naturally display rhythmic calcium oscillations even at rest and that these oscillations intensify during simulated walking. The research also uncovered that additional SPNs (previously quiescent) are recruited during locomotor activity. Notably, the study showed that individual SPNs respond in diverse ways: some increase their activity, some decrease it, and some show no change. These variations suggest that distinct subpopulations of sympathetic neurons play specialized roles during movement.

Taken together, the findings show that locomotor and autonomic systems are functionally integrated at the level of the spinal cord. This discovery provides a crucial neural explanation for why therapies that enhance walking, such as lumbar electrical stimulation, also improve the function of vital organs in patients with spinal cord injuries. The work lays a strong scientific foundation for optimizing these treatments to achieve maximum benefit, ultimately offering new hope for restoring independence and improving the overall quality of life for individuals living with SCI.

With a career built on compassion, scientific curiosity, and a drive to improve patient care, Dr. Nwachukwu continues to combine medical insight with thorough research. Her work at the University of Manitoba is set to impact spinal cord injury treatment worldwide, representing a major advancement in understanding and rehabilitating complex neurological conditions, thereby enhancing quality of life for this population.