Column of Hope
Chiari and Syringomyelia Research Foundation - Working toward a life without pain.
Our Mission: Searching for better understanding, treatments, and cures for Chiari malformation, syringomyelia, neuropathic pain, spinal cord injury and related conditions.
Research Update - March 2013
We are excited to announce that another Column of Hope funded study has been published in a prestigious peer reviewed journal, Journal of Neurosurgery.
The following article was published in December: Aquaporin-4 expression and blood–spinal cord barrier permeability in canalicular syringomyelia Laboratory investigation.
Another article has been submitted to ... Read More
More news
A normal brain and spinal cord.
Chiari malformation and Syringomyelia.
What is Chiari Malformation?
Chiari I malformation is when the back of the skull is abnormally small. When this happens there is not enough room for the brain to fit in the skull properly and part of the brain is forced out of the skull into the spinal cord. Learn more
What is Syringomyelia?
Syringomyelia is a neurological disorder in which a cyst or cavity forms in the spinal cord. The cyst is called a syrinx and can expand and elongate over time, destroying the spinal cord. Learn more
What is Neuropathic Pain?
Neuropathic pain occurs when there is a malfunction in the part of the nervous system that tells the brain that tissue is injured. While there may be no injury to the tissue where the pain exists, the nervous system tells the brain that there is damage, causing pain. Learn more