Acquired brain injury research sees breakthroughRSS Feed

Acquired brain injury patients who have suffered a stroke may find stem cell treatment can help them regain some motor skills, a new study has found.

Spinal cord stem cells were successfully implanted into rat brains affected by stroke, scientists from US firm Neuralstem said.

These cells survived and differentiated into neurons in the affected rats, which then showed "significant" improvement in some motor skills and strength measurements.

Senior study author Dr Shinn-Zong Lin said the study shows the potential promise of this cell type in treating post-stroke symptoms.

"Four weeks after transplantation, the rats treated with Neuralstem's cells showed significantly decreased asymmetric body swing, increased vertical movements and increased grip strength, compared with the control group," explained Dr Lin.

Neuralstem is currently engaged in clinical trials to assess how stem cells can be used to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis , often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, the most common form of motor neuron disease.

Scientists from John Hopkins University recently discovered an enzyme, NURF, which may determine the behaviour of stem cells.

News from Serious Law, specialist brain injury solicitors

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