Stem cell therapy shows potential in stroke recovery
- Last updated: September 18, 2025 | 12:17
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich have co-developed an experimental stem cell therapy that shows promise in repairing damaged brain tissue after strokes.
According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, transplanting neural stem cells one week after an ischaemic stroke in mice resulted in significant recovery.
The researchers reprogrammed human blood cells into neural stem cells, which can mature into neurons, and transplanted them into the damaged brain tissue of mice that had strokes. After five weeks, the researchers compared their recovery to a group of mice from the same litter that had strokes but underwent surgery without transplantation.
The treated mice displayed reduced inflammation, stronger blood vessels, improved neural connectivity, and less leakage from the blood-brain barrier compared to untreated mice.
The study found roughly a 50 percent reduction in neurons that secrete gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which decreases activity in the brain cells to which it binds. These GABA-secreting neurons, known as GABAergic neurons, have previously been shown to assist stroke recovery.
The team also explored the fate of the transplanted stem cells, finding that the majority had become GABAergic neurons. The treated mice also showed full recovery of fine motor skills and significant improvement in gait.
Ruslan Rust, Assistant Professor of Research Physiology and Neuroscience at the Keck School of Medicine, said that many patients are unable to receive emergency treatment within the limited timeframe. He added that the therapy could offer new recovery opportunities for those with long-term symptoms or extensive brain damage.
The research team is now studying the long-term effects of the therapy and exploring ways to enhance the signalling pathways involved in neural regeneration, with the aim of adapting the treatment for clinical application in humans.
WAM