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 Researchers from the Australian National University, in
collaboration with the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental
Health, have developed a gel made up of amino acids, which can be
injected into the brain to help repair damage.
When shaken, the hydrogel transforms into a liquid, making it easier
to be inserted into the brain through a small capillary. The gel
then reverts to its solid form, filling up irregularly shaped voids
and helping to safely transport replacement stem cells to injured
parts of the brain.
"The real game-changer here is it's sort of a one-off intervention,"
Australian National University Professor David Nisbet said.
"Foreseeably, a patient would come to the hospital presenting with
Parkinson's disease and they would just need this sort of one
intervention to potentially alleviate many of their symptoms for
years to come," he said.
The gel has been tested so far only on animals and has been
effective in combating movement disorders of Parkinson's disease in
rats. Nisbet hopes clinical trials will start in the next five
years, after the gel has proven safe for human use.
[to top of second column] |
 Nisbet added the hydrogel was
also relatively cheap to produce and could be
scaled up to mass production relatively easily
once the materials were approved for clinical
use.
Parkinson's is a brain disorder that causes
shaking and difficulty with walking, balance and
coordination, and worsens over time. The gel
could also be used to help people who have
suffered from other neurological conditions such
as strokes. Around 100,000 Australians are estimated to be
living with Parkinson's disease, with over 10
million cases globally. There is no cure for the
disease.
(Reporting by Cordelia Hsu; Editing by Karishma
Singh and Tom Hogue)
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