Scientists from the University of Helsinki have proposed a new way to remove waste from the brain after a hemorrhage. The results were published in the journal Cell Death and Disease.
Intracerebral hemorrhage is a devastating neurological condition with a high mortality rate. Those who survive after it suffer from severe nervous dysfunctions. No drugs have been found to promote brain recovery after a hemorrhage.
Scientists from Finland, together with their Taiwanese colleagues, investigated whether the CDNF (cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor) protein could be used to treat cerebral hemorrhage in mice. This protein is also currently being tested for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
The biologists found that administration of CDNF accelerated resolution of hemorrhagic lesions, reduced cerebral edema, and improved the condition of mice with a pattern of cerebral hemorrhage.
The protein increased the response of immune cells in the brain, prompting them to remove waste that had accumulated after a bleed. This is what improves the recovery of the brain.