Injectable Brain Gel Could Heal Brains of Injured Soldiers, Car Crash Victims, and Kathleen Parker

The Kathleen Parker.

This sounds pretty big if it pans out. Think of it -- in three years, those suffering serious brain trauma could be given pain pills under President Obama. But we'll take a great deal of comfort in knowing that, if we really wanted to, we could do even more than that.

he material, containing a cocktail of synthetic and natural chemicals, spurs on the growth of neural stem cells which in turn repair damaged nerves.

After promising studies on rats scientists in the US say the treatment could be ready for patient trials in as little as three years.

It is hoped the biogel will be useful in the treatment of wounded soldiers with head injuries.

...

''These results that we are seeing in adult lab rats are the first of its kind and show a sustained functional recovery in the animal model of TBI (traumatic brain injury). It also represents one of very few in the traumatic brain injury field that attempts structural repair of the lesion cavity using a tissue-engineering approach.''

It's especially important because advances in emergency medicine mean that many victims of serious head injuries now live, rather than than die. But with brain damage.

This comes at a great cost, however: Hollywood just greenlit Universal Soldier 3: We Told You So.

Thanks to CDR M, via Engadget.

posted by Ace at 01:11 PM

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