Brain Disorders & Therapy

CNS regeneration after injury: Could oligodendrocyte protection and enhanced remyelination improve functional recovery

Global Summit on Stroke

August 03-05, 2015 Birmingham, UK

Michell M Reimer

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Brain Disord Ther

Abstract:

The regenerative capacity of human central nervous system is very limited. Damage to the CNS by injury or disease, e.g.
stroke, SCI or TBI, often leadsto irreversible functional impairment. The lack of regeneration of the CNS is not the normal
situation in vertebrates, rather a loss of ability in mammalian species. Vertebrates that regenerate their CNS after injury can
help us to understand the underlying mechanisms of regenerative processes identify novel targets and potentially reinitiate
lost regenerative capacities in humans. Zebrafish are ideal to study CNS injury in an adult vertebrate as they successfully
regain function even after severe injuries like complete spinal cord transection which is accompanied by axonal and neuronal
regeneration and a complex microglial/immune system response. Investigating motor neuron replacement and the beneficial
roles of oligodendroglia in regeneration of the CNS in zebrafish has already lead to the discovery of a novel signaling pathway
involved in functional recovery. Improved imaging and new screening paradigms play a key role to identify signal transduction
pathways which play crucial roles in the functional recovery after CNS injury. Close collaboration between clinicians and
basic researchers will enable us to find new targets, develop novel treatments and improve existing strategies.