Researchers believe they have discovered a way to repair brain damage, bringing hope to thousands who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of brain damage.
Neurons receive, processes and transmit the impulses in the brain. Once damaged, the building blocks to our nervous system can’t regenerate.
However, according to Futurism, researchers have found a way to transform a cell that supports and insulates the neuron and turn the cell into a neuron.
The Penn State research team, who published their study in Stem Cell Reports, says they were able to streamline a process that converts human glial cells into neurons.
“We identified the most efficient chemical formula among the hundreds of drug combinations that we tested,” researcher Jiu-Chao Yin said. “By using four molecules that modulate four critical signaling pathways in human astrocytes, we can efficiently turn human astrocytes, as many as 70 percent, into functional neurons.”
Gong Chen, a Penn researcher involved with the study is excited to continue the research so they can eventually distribute the drug around the world to Alzheimer’s sufferers and others in need.
“My ultimate dream is to develop a simple drug delivery system, like a pill, that can help stroke and Alzheimer’s patients around the world to regenerate new neurons and restore their lost learning and memory capabilities,” Chen explained. “Our years of effort in discovering this simplified drug formula take us one step closer to reaching our dream.”
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