Cell transplants could be used to treat schizophrenia, scientists have found.
In a new study, researchers found that transplanting stem cells into the rat brain - into a centre called the hippocampus - restored functions that are abnormal in schizophrenia.
Cells called "interneurons" inhibit activity within brain regions, but this braking or governing function is impaired in schizophrenia.
Consequently, a group of nerve cells called the dopamine system go into overdrive. Different branches of the dopamine system are involved in cognition, movement and emotions.
"Since these cells are not functioning properly, our idea is to replace them," said study senior author Daniel Lodge, assistant professor of pharmacology in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Lodge and lead author Stephanie Perez, graduate student in his laboratory, biopsied tissue from rat foetuses, isolated cells from the tissue and injected the cells into a brain centre called the hippocampus.
This centre regulates the dopamine system and plays a role in learning, memory and executive functions such as decision making. Rats treated with the transplanted cells had restored hippocampal and dopamine function.
Stem cells are able to become different types of cells, and in this case interneurons were selected.
"We put in a lot of cells and not all survived, but a significant portion did and restored hippocampal and dopamine function back to normal," Lodge said.
Unlike traditional approaches to treating schizophrenia, such as medications and deep-brain stimulation, transplantation of interneurons potentially can produce a permanent solution.
"You can essentially fix the problem. Ultimately, if this is translated to humans, we want to reprogramme a patient's own cells and use them," Lodge said.
The study is published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
