Source: Science and Technology Daily
In a new study in mice, a team of researchers at UCLA, Harvard University, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology have developed a gene therapy that has been shown to stimulate brain function after spinal cord injury. Nerve regeneration and can guide specific neurons to reconnect to target areas, thereby restoring mobility. The study was published in the journal Science on the 22nd.
In previous treatment options, the team successfully triggered the regrowth of axons (tiny fibers that connect nerve cells and enable communication) in rodents after spinal cord injuries. But even with this approach, achieving functional restoration remains a significant challenge.
In this new study, the team directed axonal regeneration of specific neuron subpopulations to their natural target areas to try whether their function could be restored after spinal cord injury. They first used advanced genetic analysis to identify populations of nerve cells that improve walking after partial spinal cord injury.
The researchers found that simply regenerating axons from these nerve cells at the site of spinal cord injury, without specific guidance, had no impact on functional recovery.
However, when the strategy was refined, using chemical signals to attract and guide these axons to regenerate to their natural target areas in the lumbar spinal cord, significant changes in walking ability were observed in mice with complete spinal cord injuries. Mice with anatomically complete spinal cord injuries regained the ability to walk. The results reveal a previously unknown regenerative therapy.
New research highlights the need not only to regenerate axons across lesions, but also to actively guide them to their natural target areas to achieve meaningful neural recovery. Researchers say this holds promise for developing new treatments to restore damaged neurological function in large animals and humans.
Nerve damage causes limited mobility or even loss of most mobility, which reduces the quality of life of many patients. And the road to recovery for these patients is full of difficulties. Achieving nerve repair or regeneration has the potential to bring significant changes to the lives of these patients. The above-mentioned research uses gene therapy to ultimately restore the ability of mice to move by stimulating nerve regeneration after spinal cord injury. We look forward to such cutting-edge research going out of the laboratory as soon as possible and realizing clinical application.Return to Sohu to see more
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2023-09-25 01:08:00
