Spinal cord injury induces an upregulation of glial-derived chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs), which suppress axonal regrowth. Now, a new study has shown that systemic delivery of a peptide mimetic of the protein tyrosinase phosphatase σ (PTPσ) receptor domain can restore serotonergic innervation and facilitate motor recovery in a rat model of spinal cord injury. The effect of PTPσ receptor modulation is thought to be mediated by reduced CSPG-mediated inhibition.