A new scientific discovery is providing a glimmer of hope that the effects of neurological conditions that are currently without a cure could someday be reversed.
Mark Zimmer was an athlete all his life, but when he began experiencing weakness in his legs and tripping over his own feet, he knew something wasn’t right. Zimmer was diagnosed with ALS.
It’s one of a wide spectrum of disorders that cause damage in the central nervous system, ranging from multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease to spinal cord injuries and stroke. All of which have limited treatment options.
Researchers at Ohio State are one step closer to changing that. In a new study, they discovered a novel immune cell that not only preserves nerve fibers but can even reverse nerve damage and restore function. Right now, it’s just research in a lab but they hope it will lead to actual treatments down the road.
Now that researchers have identified this healing cell, they will work to extract it and grow more of the cells in a lab to amplify their healing effects.
They hope they can infuse the cells into patients as a potential treatment for neurological damage.
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