Replacing What Is Lost: Regrowing Damaged Brain Cells for Huntington’s Disease – HDBuzz

By Carlos Chillon Marinas Edited by Dr Sarah Hernandez

It’s exciting to think about the treatments currently in trials that aim to halt or slow Huntington’s disease. But can we dream big and start thinking beyond that now? Could we one day not only stop Huntington’s disease but actually repair the damage it causes by growing and replacing the brain cells that have been lost?

When we think about finding a cure for Huntington’s disease (HD), the first idea that often comes to mind is stopping or correcting the CAG expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene—the genetic mutation that we know causes this devastating condition.

The brain is made up of more than just neurons. A type of cell called a "glia" works to support neurons. Scientists are working on experiments that could be used to convert glia into neurons to replace lost brain cells for diseases like Huntington's disease.
The brain is made up of more than just neurons. A type of cell called a “glia” works to support neurons. Scientists are working…

Source link

Leave a Comment