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Neurogenesis in the chronic lesions of multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Chang Ansi,
Smith Maria C.,
Yin Xinghua,
Staugaitis Susan M.,
Trapp Bruce D.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a65-b
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , multiple sclerosis , subventricular zone , white matter , microglia , neuron , population , lesion , neuroscience , biology , phenotype , pathology , medicine , inflammation , immunology , stem cell , neural stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , magnetic resonance imaging , biochemistry , environmental health , radiology , gene
Subcortical white matter in the adult human brain contains a population of interneurons that help regulate cerebral blood flow. We investigated the fate of these neurons following subcortical white matter demyelination. In brains of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), these neurons are destroyed by inflammatory demyelination and most chronic MS lesions remain neuron free; however, we identified 15 chronic MS lesions which contained a 72% increase in neurons compared to surrounding normal‐appearing white matter. Lesion areas with increased neuron densities were characterized by a morphologically distinct population of activated microglia, increased synaptic densities, and cells with phenotypic characteristics of immature neurons. Subventricular zones contiguous with demyelinated lesions also contained an increase in cells with phenotypes of neuronal precursors. These results support neurogenesis in a subpopulation of demyelinated regions in the adult human brain. Furthermore, these new neurons attain morphological and molecular characteristics of mature white matter interneurons. Supported by NIH R01 NS35058, NIH P01 38667, NMSS RG 3797A6/1.