Don't loose your nerves. You might not get them back.

It's an well know "fact" that once a brain cell dies, it won't grow back. Scientists are continuing to discover that this is not always the case, as has been previously discussed here in Neuron News. More developments from a United States government lab is continuing to show that damaged nerve cells might be coaxed into rejuvenation.

Surya Mallapragada, an Ames Laboratory associate in Materials Chemistry, has developed micro channels in degradable polymers that can guide growing axons to fill in gaps of important nervous system wiring caused by some sort of damage.

There has been some success with nerves in rats, but they are still learning about how this approach will work in the central nervous system comprised of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve.

[ Read the article from the Ames Laboratory ]