The International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) was founded in 1961 as the International Medical Society of Paraplegia

Paraplegia

Paraplegia is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek: παραπληγίη "half-striking". It is usually the result of spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as spina bifida that affects the neural elements of the spinal canal...

. It is a INGO

International nongovernmental organization

The World Bank defines a non-governmental organization as "private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, or undertake community development"...

, whose purpose is to study all problems relating to lesions of the spinal cord

Spinal cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...

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History

The International Medical Society of Paraplegia was founded in 1961. The first President was Sir Ludwig Guttmann

Ludwig Guttmann

Sir Ludwig "Poppa" Guttmann CBE, FRS was a German neurologist who founded the Paralympic Games while living in England, and is considered one of the founding fathers of organized physical activities for people with a disability....

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In September 2001, at the General Meeting in Nottwil, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, it was agreed an other name of the Society: The International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS).

Objectives of the organisation

• to study all problems relating to lesions of the spinal cord
  Spinal cord injury
  A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
  
  
• enables scientific exchange between the members
• Advice, support, promote, coordinate research, development and evaluation activities in context with spinal cord injuries worldwide
• Counseling, support in the care of patients involved
• Counseling, support of those responsible for education and training of medical professionals

Presidents

1961-1970	Prof. Sir Ludwig Guttmann	Founder and First President
1970-1973	Dr Herb Talbot	United States USA
1973-1977	Dr Albert Tricot	Belgium
1977-1980	Prof. Volkmar Paeslack	Germany Germany
1980-1984	Sir George Bedbrook	Australia
1984-1988	Prof. Alain Rossier	Switzerland
1988-1992	Dr Ed Carter	United States USA
1992-1996	Dr Paul Dollfus	France
1996-2000	Dr Hans Frankel	UK
2000-2004	Prof. Takaaki Ikata	Japan
2004-2008	Prof. W Donovan	United States USA
2008-2010	Mr W El-Masry	UK
2010-present	Prof Fin Biering-Sørensen	Denmark DK

Members

• Full Members
• Associate Members
• Senior Members
• Emeritus Members
• Fellowship of ISCoS
• Affiliated Members

Affiliated Members

• American Paraplegia Society (APS)
• American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)
• Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN)
• Association Francophone Internationale des Groupes d'Animation de la Paraplégie (AFIGAP)
• Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society (ANZSCoS)
• Chinese Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons - Society of Spinal Cord Injury (CARDP - SoSCI)
• Deutschsprachige Medizinische Gesellschaft für Paraplegie (DMGP)
• Dutch Flemish Spinal Cord Society (DUFSCoS)
• Japan Medical Society of Spinal Cord Lesions(JASCoL)
• Latin American Society of Paraplegia (SLAP)
• Nordic Spinal Cord Society(NoSCoS)
• Romanian Spinal Cord Society (RoSCoS)
• Societá Medica Italiana di Paraplegia (SoMIPAR)
• Southern African Spinal Cord Association (SASCA)
• Spanish Society of Paraplegia (SEP)
• Spinal Cord Society - Indian Chapter
• Turkish Society of Spinal Cord Diseases (TrSCD)

Journal

SPINAL CORD is the monthly publication of the International Spinal Cord Society.

The Editorial Office is at the Antwerp University

University of Antwerp

The University of Antwerp is one of the major Belgian universities located in the city of Antwerp. The name is sometimes abbreviated as UA.-History:...

 Hospital in Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

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