Scientists could heal stroke damage in the brain with breakthrough…

According to the National Institute of Health, one in 4 adults will expertise a stroke in their lifetime, and at the moment, there are no credible remedies to totally reverse this damage.

However, a groundbreaking research might offer a glimmer of hope. Researchers at The University of Zurich managed to reverse stroke damage in mice by transplanting human neural stem cells into their injured brains.

The transplanted cells survived and matured into functioning neurons, promoted blood vessel growth, diminished inflammation, and rebuilt the brain barrier.

Perhaps the most outstanding side of the research was that the handled mice regained their motor skills, suggesting that stem cell therapy could probably improve stroke recovery in people in the future.

“That’s why it is essential to pursue new therapeutic approaches to potential brain regeneration after diseases or accidents,” said Christian Tackenberg, the Scientific Head of Division in the Neurodegeneration Group at the University of Zurich (UZH) Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

How stroke damage was reversed in mice

For the research, the researchers utilized human neural stem cells. After inducing a everlasting stroke in the mice, the animals had been genetically modified to settle for the human stem cells.

One week following the induced stroke, researchers transplanted neural stem cells into the affected brain areas of the mice and monitored progress utilizing varied imaging and biochemical techniques.

“We found that the stem cells survived for the full analysis period of five weeks and that most of them transformed into neurons, which actually even communicated with the already existing brain cells,” Tackenberg said.

Stem cell treatment could be the key to repairing stroke damage

Tackenberg goals to ultimately deliver this breakthrough to people, according to Open Access Government. To guarantee the research interprets to human purposes, the stem cells had been created without utilizing animal-derived reagents.

For this purpose, scientists also developed a protocol working alongside the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University. This step was essential to validate the effectiveness of stem cell treatment in people.

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Despite these promising indicators, Tackenberg emphasizes that extra research stays needed.

“We need to minimise risks and simplify a potential application in humans,” he says. “Stroke could be one of the next diseases for which a clinical trial becomes possible.”