New procedure can repair severed nerves in minutes, leading to short recovery time

Scientists have developed a new procedure that can induce rapid nerve regeneration to repair severed nerves. They used a cellular mechanism much like that used by many invertebrates to repair damage to nerve axons, the long extensions arising from a nerve cell body that conduct the cells’ impulses. The process can be completed in just minutes, meaning recovery could take days or weeks instead of months or years. The research team looked at the mechanisms used by the cells of different animals, paying special attention to those of invertebrates, whose ability to regenerate axons is superior to mammals. “We have developed a procedure which can repair severed nerves within minutes so that the behavior they control can be partially restored within days and often largely restored within two to four weeks,” explains Professor George Bittner from the University of Texas.