Injured brain adapts and fights back

The brain has a remarkable ability to recover after injury at any age, say American researchers.

Their finding might eventually be used to help stroke or multiple sclerosis (MS) patients regain lost powers of mobility.

It had been assumed by some that the brain was better able to adapt to injury in childhood.

But preliminary work by two researchers in the US suggests that even the adult brain can rewire itself to help the body recover motor functions such as hand movement.

Daniel Hier and Jun Wang carried out brain scans of 27 patients who had regained the use of their hands after stroke, MS or cerebral palsy.

They found that the brains of all patients had been able to reorganise regardless of age. Regions of the brain such as the cerebellum were able to take over the function of the primary motor cortex, which normally controls hand movement.

Dr Daniel Hier, of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, believes the research has implications for rehabilitation strategies.

"In future studies, we'll analyse whether rehabilitation can influence the pattern of motor reorganisation after brain damage and whether certain patterns of reorganisation produce better patient outcomes."

The study is to be presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Honolulu.

- AGENCIES