Networking with Friends: Nanotech material reconnects severed neurons
A new material made of nanometer-size protein particles appears to be capable of bridging the gap between severed nerves. The finding could lead to an effective early treatment for spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or strokes—conditions that affect millions of people worldwide.
When these injuries damage the long arms, or axons, that join neurons, the surrounding cells form scar tissue in the fissure. This blocks neural connections. Few therapies have been successful in reinstating these lost connections in people, says Rutledge G. Ellis-Behnke, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).