Recent Advances in Diversified Materials for Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating central nervous system disorder that causes irreversible loss of sensory and motor functions below the lesion, seriously compromising patients’ daily activities and quality of life. Due to the inherent shortcomings of existing therapeutic strategies and the rapid progress of material engineering, developing advanced functional materials has emerged as a promising approach for SCI treatment. This review comprehensively summarizes the applications of polymeric materials, inorganic materials, bioactive materials, and composite biomaterials for SCI treatment and regeneration, with a focus on their underlying mechanisms, therapeutic performance, and research trends. Cumulative evidence indicates that these materials possess versatile biological functions and great application potential in facilitating nerve regeneration and tissue reconstruction after SCI. In short, in-depth understanding of material-based therapeutic systems can offer innovative references for the optimization of SCI treatment regimens. Nevertheless, more preclinical and translational investigations are still indispensable to accelerate their clinical transformation and widespread practical use.