MONDAY, July 26, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- Researchers are reporting the first successful use of fetal stem cells to grow neurons in stroke-damaged brain areas in rats.
If these cells can also replace the speech and movement functions of cells destroyed by stroke damage, this procedure may someday help people recover after they suffer a stroke.
Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center unveil the research in the July 26-30 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They found that when these fetal stem cells were injected close to areas of induced stroke in the rats' brains, the stem cells could migrate to the location of the stroke damage and turn into the appropriate type of neurons.
"We're not saying we can treat patients immediately, but it's a big step forward. This gives us considerable optimism for these cells," researcher and neurosurgeon Dr. Gary Steinberg said in a prepared statement.
The study did not examine whether these newly formed neurons actually helped the stroke-affected rats recover brain function.
Until now, the potential ability of fetal stem cells to form different types of brain cells has been demonstrated only in laboratory dishes.
More information
The American Medical Association has more about the brain effects of stroke.
