New research supports brain cell transplantation as a treatment for some neurological disorders
Sabrina Chierzi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Astrocytes — named for their star-like shape — are a type of brain cell as abundant as neurons in the central nervous system, but little is known about their role in brain health and disease.
Many neurological diseases are caused by or result in the loss of cells in the central nervous system. Some diseases are a result of the loss of specific cells, such as the loss of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the loss of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease and the loss of GABAergic neurons in Huntington’s disease.
For other neurodegenerative conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease, a key hallmark is the general loss of cells in brain regions responsible for memory formation.
