Growing New Brain Cells

Drugs that trigger the birth of neurons could provide the next generation of treatments for neurodegenerative disease, as well as depression.

Diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are marked by the slow and debilitating death of certain types of nerve cells in the brain. But new studies suggest that drugs similar to those already used to treat Parkinson’s and other disorders could actually spur growth of new neurons, improving symptoms in animal models. Scientists hope that finding compounds that can enhance the brain’s natural ability to grow new cells will provide a more effective treatment for neurodegenerative diseases and depression.

By Emily Singer

Full Story: http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17144&ch=biotech