Washington, April 18 : A new collaborative research has shown that the stem cells in the brain decrease ischemic injury and restore brain function.

The research carried out by researchers at the Mario Negri Institute in Milan, Italy, the Istituto Neurologico Besta, and the University of Lausanne has been published online in PloS ONE.

Ischemia is an absolute or relative shortage of the blood supply to an organ. Relative shortage means the mismatch of blood supply (oxygen delivery) and blood request for adequate oxygenation of tissue.

Stroke is the first cause of permanent invalidity and the third cause of death in industrialised countries. It has so far been a major and unresolved medical issue despite recent advancements in the management of ischemic patients, which includes early diagnosis, thrombolysis, stroke units, and rehabilitation centres.

“Stroke causes the death of many nervous cells that, in theory, could be substituted by stem cells. A few studies have shown that these cells can be effective, although various issues about their use and the mechanisms of their protective action remained unsolved,” says Maria Grazia De Simoni of the Mario Negri Institute.

The researchers claim that their study has underlined a possible mechanism through which stem cells develop a protective effect in the brain area hit by a stroke.

“Our research has underlined a possible mechanism of action. Once introduced in the area of the brain hit by a stroke, stem cells induce the development of a protective effect in this same area,” explains De Simoni.

“Therefore, it is not necessary, as proposed in past studies, for stem cells to turn into neurons in order to protect the brain from ischemic injury and restore brain functions. Their presence in brain tissue is sufficient to induce a protective reaction,” he adds.

Simoni says that various cells, including microglia that has always been thought to have a toxic and inflammatory role, are involved in this reaction.

“Instead, we suggest that the microglia also has a protective function,” says De Simoni.

“Moreover our research shows that these cells survive in brain tissue only for a few days and then they are eliminated. This is very important given the possibility that stem cells may turn into cancer cells,” he adds. (ANI)