Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Stem cell transplant breakthrough 'may offer hope regarding epilepsy'

A new breakthrough regarding stem cell transplants could offer hope to those who are affected by epilepsy.

The neurological condition is one of the many researchers were hoping their work would shine a light on to, although their breakthrough is originally having an impact for autism and Parkinson's disease.

Jeffery Macklis, of Harvard University, explained the study used complex circuitry as a test case for whether precisely selected and controlled neuron transplants may be able to rewire the brain.

He was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying: "What we found is that these neurons not only turned into the right types of cells, but they sent signals to the recipient’s brain and received signals from the recipient's brain."

Mr Macklis said the next step for the research is to look into parallel areas of the brain, as well as the spiral cord, to link up the findings.

People affected by epilepsy may experience any one of 40 different types of seizures associated with the neurological condition.

Read more: http://www.epilepsyresearch.org.uk/news/article.php?id=487

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