Drugs that promote neurogenesis, which include antidepressants
and mood stabilizers such as lithium—could benefit human stroke
victims, according to a study at Buck Institute for Age
Research. Research shows the growth of new neurons, also known
as neurogenesis, lessens the severity of stroke and dramatically
improves function following a stroke. The study also suggests
that the drugs may be suitable for study in human clinical
trials. "What this study shows more convincingly than in the
past is that the production of new neurons after stroke is
beneficial in rodents. Assuming that neurogenesis is also
beneficial in humans, drugs approved by the FDA for other
purposes and already shown to promote new neuron growth in
rodents might be worth studying as a potential treatment for
stroke in humans. For example, antidepressants are often used to
treat post-stroke depression, but their potential for improving
outcome from stroke itself is less certain," said Buck faculty
member and senior author Dr. David Greenberg