Reversal of ethanol toxicity in embryonic neurons with growth factors and estrogen.

Prenatal exposure to ethanol is the cause of fetal alcohol syndrome, which is characterized by brain abnormalities and decreased mental capacity. In the current study, cultured neurons from embryonic rat cortices were used to study the reversal of ethanol toxicity on neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth. Ethanol treatment followed by treatment with estrogen and certain growth factors were used to assess the potential of these growth factors and estrogen to reverse the effects of ethanol damage.

Neurogenesis and brain injury: managing a renewable resource for repair.

The brain shows limited ability to repair itself, but neurogenesis in certain areas of the adult brain suggests that neural stem cells may be used for structural brain repair. It will be necessary to understand how neurogenesis in the adult brain is regulated to develop strategies that harness neural stem cells for therapeutic use.