Previous studies have shown that proliferation of endogenous neural precursor cells cannot alone compensate for the damage to neurons and axons.

From the perspective of neural plasticity, Dr. Yun Xiang and co-workers from Sun Yat-sen University in China observed the effects of functional electrical stimulation treatment on endogenous neural precursor cell proliferation and expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor in the rat brain on the infarct side.

The researchers found that functional electrical stimulation can promote endogenous neural precursor cell proliferation in the brains of acute cerebral infarction rats, enhance expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor, and improve the motor function of rats.

The relevant study has been published in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 3, 2014).

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Functional electrical stimulation increased the number of nestin-positive cells (arrows) in the subgranular zone of stroke rats.
Credit: Neural Regeneration Research

Article: " Functional electrical stimulation-facilitated proliferation and regeneration of neural precursor cells in the brains of rats with cerebral infarction" by Yun Xiang1, 2, Huihua Liu1, Tiebin Yan1, Zhiqiang Zhuang1, Dongmei Jin1, Yuan Peng3 (1 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China; 2 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shenzhen Sixth People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China; 3 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China)

Xiang Y, Liu HH, Yan TB, Zhuang ZQ, Jin DM, Peng Y. Functional electrical stimulation-facilitated proliferation and regeneration of neural precursor cells in the brains of rats with cerebral infarction. Neural Regen Res. 2014;9(3):243-251.