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Researchers from Children's Hospital Boston have found a way to regrow damaged brain cells, a finding that could bring new treatments for spinal cord and brain injuries.
By silencing genes that prevent neuron regenerating the researchers showed that brain cells in mice would regrow vigarously after being damaged.
When the genes were silenced 50% of damaged neurons survived after two weeks compared to just 20% in those untreated mice. Some of the treated mice also showed significant axon regrowth - the long arms of a neuron used to transmit signals.
While the tests show that neurons and axons can be regrown, it's unclear whether their function is fully restored. If brain activity does continue the researchers hope that the treatment can be turned into a drug to easily help treat brain and spinal cord injury.
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