We're all just petri dishes with shoes.

realcleverscience:

This is pretty significant news. Firstly, because of the new treatment it may offer. Secondly, for the new approaches to treatment and neuroscientific theory which it has probably opened. Dig.

RCS Highlights:

Neurosurgeons.. have for the first time initiated the restoration of lost brain tissue through brain bypass surgery in patients where blood flow to the brain is impaired by cerebrovascular disease.

In cases where blood flow is reduced to the brain as a result of diseased blood vessels, patients experience a progressive loss of brain tissue. This loss of tissue, which comprises the grey matter of the brain, is believed to lead to decreased neurocognitive function (i.e. types of thinking, such as perception, memory, awareness, capacity for judgement) and may hasten the onset of dementia…

“We were pretty astounded when we saw the results because they were quite unexpected,” said Dr. Tymianski. “Our goal with the surgery was to halt further loss of brain tissue due to strokes, so it was remarkable to see the loss was actually reversed.”…

“The re-growth of brain tissue has only been observed in an extremely limited number of circumstances,” said Dr. Tymianski. “We consider this so important because one of the most important health issues facing our population is chronic cerebrovascular disease, which leads to neurocognitive impairment and reduces quality of life.”