Polymers to cure nerve fibers

2000/06/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

Some polymers and a type of natural sugar can be used to cure damaged nerves. A team of US researchers has developed a new biomaterial composed of polymers that favors the growth of damaged nerve fibers and, therefore, the union of separate parts.

The material is placed directly on the nerve fibers and thanks to a natural sugar it carries, the nerve fibers begin to grow. For a few weeks the biomaterial degrades, but the nerve fibers continue to grow for a long time.

Another of the main characteristics of this biomaterial is to be conductive of electric current; the electrical pulses that come from the brain through the nerve excite the fibers, which favors its growth.

The material was presented at the general assembly of the American Chemical Society and will be ready to be tested shortly with animals.