Growth Factor May Improve Outcome of Brain Injury

An animal study indicates that fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) plays a critical role in the ability of the brain to make new cells following traumatic brain injury (TBI) by boosting the production of new brain cells and protecting existing neurons from degeneration. The findings were reported in the October 15, 2003, issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Researchers examined the role of FGF-2 in the regulation of neurogenesis and neuron loss in a specific region of the brain known as the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) in an animal model of TBI. They found that mice lacking FGF-2 showed a decreased ability to protect existing neurons and generate new neurons following TBI, when compared to controls. In an effort to limit cell loss and enhance cell proliferation in the DG following TBI, the researchers administered FGF-2 by gene delivery and found that this method was indeed able to limit the loss of existing neurons while simultaneously increasing the proliferation of new neurons in this region of the brain.

The researchers say the data suggest that FGF-2 supplementation might provide a rational strategy to treat brain injury by simultaneously enhancing neurogenesis and reducing neurodegeneration. The study was conducted by Michael Moskowitz and colleagues from Harvard Medical School (Boston, NA, USA).




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