Daniel Lodge, Ph.D., and Stephanie Perez, doctoral student, both from the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, discovered that transplanting stem cells into the rat brain — into a center called the hippocampus — restored functions that are abnormal in schizophrenia.
Rodent research suggests feasibility of restoring neuron function
Research from the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio suggests the exciting possibility of using cell transplants to treat schizophrenia.
Cells called “interneurons” inhibit activity within brain regions, but this braking or governing function is impaired in schizophrenia. Consequently, a group of nerve cells called the dopamine system go into overdrive. Different branches of the dopamine system are involved in cognition, movement and emotions.
“Since these cells are not functioning properly, our idea is to replace them,” said study senior author Daniel Lodge, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology in the School of Medicine.
Transplant restored normal function
Dr. Lodge and lead author Stephanie Perez, graduate student in his laboratory, biopsied tissue from rat fetuses, isolated cells from the tissue and injected the cells into a brain center called the hippocampus. This center regulates the dopamine system and plays a role in learning, memory and executive functions such as decision making. Rats treated with the transplanted cells have restored hippocampal and dopamine function.
Stem cells are able to become different types of cells, and in this case interneurons were selected. “We put in a lot of cells and not all survived, but a significant portion did and restored hippocampal and dopamine function back to normal,” Dr. Lodge said.
‘You can essentially fix the problem’
Unlike traditional approaches to treating schizophrenia, such as medications and deep-brain stimulation, transplantation of interneurons potentially can produce a permanent solution. “You can essentially fix the problem,” Dr. Lodge said. “Ultimately, if this is translated to humans, we want to reprogram a patient’s own cells and use them.”
The Latest Bing News on:
Schizophrenia
- Immune responses during embryo development could increase risk of schizophreniaon November 27, 2020 at 10:02 am
Past research has often highlighted the effects that immune activation in pregnant women can have on the development of human embryos, for instance increasing the risk of a child developing ...
- Schizophrenia Drugs Market 2020 Global Share, Size, Future Demand, Global Research, Top Leading Players, Emerging Trends, Region by Forecast to 2026on November 26, 2020 at 12:25 pm
Nov (The Expresswire) -- Global"Schizophrenia Drugs Market"(2020-2026) status and position of worldwide and key regions, with perspectives ...
- Father, 23, suffering with paranoid schizophrenia killed his 11-month-old son by throwing him into a river because he believed the baby was turning into the devil, court hearson November 24, 2020 at 8:41 am
Baby Zakari drowned after being tossed into the River Irwell in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, on September 11 last year by his father Zak Bennett-Eko, 23.
- Father, 23, suffering with paranoid schizophrenia killed son by throwing him into a riveron November 24, 2020 at 7:01 am
Baby Zakari drowned after being tossed into the River Irwell in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, on September 11 last year by his father Zak Bennett-Eko, 23.
- Schizophrenia Market Research Expansion (2020-2029) Including COVID-19 Pandemic Business Impact | Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.on November 24, 2020 at 5:54 am
A consciously conceived and designed business intelligence report titled Global Schizophrenia market 2020 by Manufacturers, Type, and Application, Forecast to 2029 by MarketResearch.biz discloses a ...
- Woman suing PUB adds schizophrenia to injury liston November 23, 2020 at 2:05 pm
A woman who sued national water agency PUB, after she fell into a 1.8m-deep manhole five years ago, has added her diagnosis of schizophrenia in February this year to the list of injuries she allegedly ...
- Long-acting antipsychotic therapy plus cognitive training show promise for schizophreniaon November 19, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Scientists have found that the use of long-acting antipsychotic medication combined with the use of cognitive training in group settings led to improved cognition and increased productivity.
- Schizophrenia: Let’s not fear the illness that wears so many hatson November 18, 2020 at 5:00 am
In a recent brief newspaper report of the tragic case of Liam Anderson, the 26-year-old son of singer Angry Anderson who was bashed to death by a friend, the word schizophrenia is mentioned four times ...
- U.S. FDA declines to approve Alkermes' schizophrenia treatmenton November 17, 2020 at 1:05 pm
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declined to approve Alkermes' treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the drugmaker said on Tuesday.
- Alkermes’ schizophrenia and bipolar drug candidate receives CRLon November 17, 2020 at 9:24 am
The FDA has issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) to Alkermes’s (NASDAQ:ALKS) marketing application seeking approval for ALKS-3831 for the treatment of schizophrenia and with bipolar I disorder in ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Schizophrenia
The Latest Bing News on:
Restoring neuron function
- Deciphering Proteins and their Functions in the Regenerating Retinaon November 25, 2020 at 4:00 pm
This table lists the main function, subclasses ... to the PNS the capabilitiy to spontaneously regenerate axon and restore tissue after injury. It is presumed that this failure is attributable ...
- Central trafficking compartment in neurons malfunctions in majority of Alzheimer's patientson November 25, 2020 at 11:10 am
The Neuron's 'Grand Central Station' Is Commonly ... These tiny compartments, called endosomes, function as a 'grand central station' and traffic proteins throughout a cell. The new study provides ...
- Deciphering Proteins and their Functions in the Regenerating Retinaon November 18, 2020 at 4:00 pm
Organisms above lower vertebrates, such as fish and amphibians, show extensive regeneration of axons and recovery of function. The better understanding of the mechanisms associated with neuron ...
- Researchers’ nanodisk could restore function for Lou Gehrig’s disease patientson November 13, 2020 at 4:01 pm
5, 2019 — For decades the renowned English physicist Stephen Hawking lived with a motor neuron disease ... like Hawking’s to restore the quality of life for about 1 million adults across the globe.
- Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital introduces gene therapy in UAEon November 11, 2020 at 8:39 pm
The gene encodes the survival motor neuron, SMN, protein – a protein found throughout the body, which is critical for the maintenance and function of specialised nerve cells, called motor neurons.
- Study links two ALS mechanismson November 2, 2020 at 6:40 am
inducing RBP malfunction and motor neuron apoptosis. These findings suggest that disease-associated ANXA11 mutations can contribute to ALS pathogenesis through toxic gain-of-function mechanisms ...
- Novel device can benefit patients with upper limb paralysison October 29, 2020 at 1:43 am
"We are excited to report that we have delivered a fully implantable, take home, wireless technology that does not require open brain surgery, which functions to restore freedoms for people with ...
- Small brain device proves big game changer for severely paralysed patientson October 27, 2020 at 5:01 pm
"We are excited to report that we have delivered a fully implantable, take home, wireless technology that does not require open brain surgery, which functions to restore freedoms for people with ...
- Building Artificial Neural Connectionson October 19, 2020 at 5:00 pm
“Nearly every motor cortex neuron we tested in the brain could ... by using stimulation from undamaged brain areas to restore function lost from damage in other areas of the brain.
