Study shows new neurons aid stroke recovery

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

The human brain can heal itself after a stroke by giving rise to new neurons.
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability, affecting around 700,000 Americans each year. The fact that some people do recover suggests that the brain has some innate capacity for healing itself. Indeed, new neuron generation has been seen in animal studies of stroke. But it has been hard to find the same process in human stroke survivors till now.

Researchers at the Buck Institute for Age Research now report on a study that shows new neurons are produced in the human brain following a stroke. They looked at human brain biopsies from stroke survivors and found markers of new neuron production. The neurons produced characteristic proteins, had normal nuclei, and could migrate through brain tissue. Various drugs are known to stimulate the growth of new neurons in animals. The hope is that such drugs might be put to work to stimulate and enhance the natural growth of new neurons after a stroke. Such approaches could aid stroke recovery by healing brain damage.

Source
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 21st August 2006