Professor Ronald McKay and a team of researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Bethesda, Maryland have successfully “triggered” the self-repair of brain injury in rats caused by stroke. The scientists used a specific protein called Notch, and added it to the surface of brain stem cells. Those rats that were treated showed marked improvement in mobility, and tests confirmed that new brain cells had actually “sprouted” in the brain, according to a June 2006 Nature article.
Brain damage occurs in violent head trauma situations such as car accidents, sports injuries, and work related injuries, but the most common cause is stroke. During a stroke, blood flow carrying oxygen to the brain is stopped or slowed so that brain cells essentially suffocate and die. Unlike some parts of the body like skin cells, brain cells do not normally grow back or fix themselves.
Some research has already been conducted into the possibility of using stem cells from other donors to stimulate the regrowth of brain cells. Basically, this approach “tricks” the brain into thinking it is developing like it did in the embryonic stage, causing it to generate new cells. But this is the first time scientists have tried to trigger the brain’s own stem cells into action. “This is where stem-cell biology needs to be,” McKay told Nature.
This research is a long way away from any practical uses for treating humans with brain injury, but it does show hope for the future. Professor McKay is uncertain why placing the Notch protein on brain stem cells triggers regrowth, but he suspects that it has something to do with the same biological systems that cause cancer cells to divide uncontrollably.
This offers both advantages and drawbacks. The main advantage is that there are years of research already invested into how cancer develops that can be used to study this particular phenomenon. The drawback is that science still hasn’t found a way to switch cancer cells “off” and in order for this procedure to be used to treat brain injury patients effectively, the off switch for the Notch protein and brain cell reproduction will have to be identified and accurately controlled.
Still, it is a promising new direction for the millions of Americans who are victims of traumatic head injury, stroke victims, and other brain damage patients.
If you or a loved one has experienced brain damage due to the negligence of another (i.e. in a car accident, in a work-related accident, or some other situation) you may be facing mounting medical bills, lost work, and needless suffering. Contact Florida personal injury lawyer David I. Fuchs at 800-570-2858 for a free consultation and case evaluation.