Swimming to the rescue: mechanism behind neural regeneration uncovered
Researchers discover the collaborative mechanism between neurons and glia that drives the proliferation of neural stem cells following brain injury.
Traumatic brain injuries and strokes can lead to the long-term impairment of motor and cognitive functions as lost neurons are never replaced. The brain can produce new neurons with its reserve of neural stem cells but only a small fraction of these stem cells develop into neurons and even fewer will survive and re-populate the damaged area. So, glial cells will fill in the gaps, acting as the ‘glue’ of the nervous system.
