14 DAY TRIAL // Scientists may have discovered one of the sources of new neurons. For a long time the human brain was thought to be unable to produce new nerve cells during one's life, but that was proven false in recent years. Now, experts find where the new neurons originate.
The newly-identified stem cells – found by experts at the Lund University – have the ability to differentiate into multiple cell types. What this implies is that the discovery may soon be used to create novel courses of treatment for treating brain injury.
In many cases, nerve connections between various areas of the brain, or between sections of the spinal cord, are severed during traumatic accidents. By acting on the injury site with these stem cells, it may be possible to accelerate healing in a natural manner, which may restore full neuron functionality.
“Our findings show that the cell capacity is much larger than we originally thought, and that these cells are very versatile,” AlphaGalileo quotes LU associate professor of neuroscience, Gesine Paul-Visse, PhD, as saying.