Stem cell transplants reversed stroke damage in mice

Researchers at the University of Zurich have used human stem cell transplants to reverse stroke damage in mice, restoring movement in animals whose brains had been deliberately injured to mimic human strokes. The team, led by Christian Tackenberg and postdoctoral researcher Rebecca Weber, transplanted neural stem cells into damaged brain regions one week after inducing strokes, then tracked the results for five weeks. Most of the cells became neurons that connected with existing brain cells. "We found that the stem cells survived for the full analysis period of five weeks and that most of them transformed into neurons, which actually even communicated with the already existing brain cells," Tackenberg said. The team also saw new blood vessels form and inflammation ease. The animals walked better, measured in part by AI analysis of their gait. Stroke affects about one in four adults over a lifetime. The one-week delay before treatment, it turns out, worked better than acting immediately.