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A James Cook University PhD student has taken the first steps towards improving recovery for stroke and spinal cord injury sufferers.
Kirsty Dixon has just completed research proving that a protein found naturally in the brain, known as BDNF, can restore some functionality in the mature cerebellum and thus improve muscle tone, movement and co-ordination.
According to Kirsty, recovery from traumatic brain injury is limited in adults in contrast to the developing system where some recovery is known to occur.
"What we have been attempting to do is harness this greater capacity in youth to induce recovery in the mature system," she said. "BDNF is produced at a high concentration in the developing brain and increases following traumatic brain injury such as a stroke or spinal cord injury.
"I have been examining the role of BDNF in this natural repair mechanism of the immature brain and then trying to mimic the process in the mature brain."
Kirsty has spent four years on the project, beginning her PhD with JCU's School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences and then visiting the University of Western Australia's School of Anatomy and Human Biology to finish it.
Though she used rats as a model she said the research spelled good news for humans.
"Basically my findings suggest that introducing concentrated BDNF into a mature system, to mimic the developing system, will lead to improved limb co-ordination and gait synchronisation in that mature subject. Considering BDNF is conserved across the species it's quite possible that we can use it in humans to induce the same results," she said.
Kirsty also inadvertently managed to prove the positive effects exercise can have on recovery.
"Even those not treated with BDNF can show some sign of recovery with intensive exercise, though granted it is a much slower process."
Kirsty, who is originally from Brisbane, completed an undergraduate degree in Applied Science and an honours project in neuroscience at the University of Technology before moving up to JCU in Townsville for her PhD.
She has already had a paper accepted into the journal 'Experimental Neurology' and is due to present a poster at a four-day conference in Vienna.
"After the conference I'm going to travel around Europe for about six weeks but following that I don't know what I'm going to do with myself," she said.
Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here. ' |
