Cell reconnection could repair damage caused by strokes

Damage to older people caused by strokes and spinal cord injuries may not be irreparable, according to new research.

PhD student Robert Sullivan, 28, of Newcastle University, Australia, found that human nerve cells can form new connections while studying degeneration in the eyes of older people, reports the Advertiser Adelaide.

His analysis showed that nerve cells in the eye’s retina were able to respond to a disease which causes blindness by forming new connections with neurons in the brain in patients in their 70s and 80s.

Professor David Pow, Mr Sullivan’s supervisor, said that he wanted to investigate whether nerve cells could form more effective connections.

“This is exactly the kind of behaviour needed to allow repair in the damaged human nervous system after strokes and in response to spinal cord injuries.” he told the paper.

Mr Sullivan’s research also provides insights into macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in older Australians.

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