Interesting… but still very early:
In an unprecedented finding, UC San Francisco scientists used an experimental drug to completely reverse severe learning and memory impairments caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI) in mice. Surprisingly, the drug fully restored the ability to learn and remember in the brain-injured mice even when the animals were first treated as much as a month after injury.
The latter results are particularly striking, as most research on brain injury and stroke has suggested that treatments must be initiated as quickly as possible to preserve normal function.
The researchers said the new study offers a promising new avenue for the treatment of TBI in humans, which affects nearly two million individuals annually in the U.S. – one every 21 seconds. In addition to causing serious cognitive deficits, which can be short-lived or permanent, TBI is also a leading risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. But dozens of seemingly promising treatments have failed in clinical trials, and no approved therapies are currently available.
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