Mice with paralysis, due to an injury to the spine, were able to walk again thanks to the efforts Germans scientists. The scientists used a specially designed protein which is produced in the brains of animals through the use of appropriate genetic information, leading to the regeneration of damaged neurons.
Spinal cord injuries often cause paralysis in humans due to an interruption in the transmission of nerve signals from the muscles to the brain. Thanks to the new treatment developed at the Rhein-Ruhr University of Bochum, the nerve cells The paralyzed rodents recovered thanks to a protein in their brains.
«With a relatively minor intervention, we activate a very large number of neurons so that they regenerate, and ultimately that is why the mice can walk again,» said the lead researcher Dietmar Fischer in Reuters.
Mice with complete paraplegia began walking again just two to three weeks after a single experimental treatment, which involves introducing genetic instructions into the brain (with the help of a genetically modified harmless June (as a vehicle), so as to produce a cytokine protein (hyper-interleukin-6) and send it to the motor neurons. This protein may help with neuron regeneration. The advantage of this method is that it allows cells to produce their own super-interleukin-6, which is then distributed to more distant parts of the central nervous system.
Researchers are already investigating whether the treatment can be improved and will continue their experiments on larger animals, such as pigs, dogs, or monkeys, before testing its safety and effectiveness in humans—a process that will certainly take many years, according to Dr. Fischer.
The research team also included a scientist of Greek descent Anastasia Andreadaki.
