# Stem Cell Transplants Reverse Stroke Damage and Restore Movement in Mice

*2026-09-23 02:00 UTC · Science · 1 min read*

> University of Zurich researchers reversed stroke damage and restored movement in mice by transplanting human neural stem cells that regrew neurons and blood vessels.

Researchers at the University of Zurich, working with USC and Kyoto University's CiRA, transplanted human neural stem cells into mice one week after a stroke and watched the treatment repair the damaged brain tissue over five weeks. Most of the transplanted cells survived and turned into functional neurons that wired themselves into the existing brain circuitry.

Beyond growing new neurons, the treatment triggered broader repair: new blood vessels formed in the injured area, inflammation dropped, and the blood-brain barrier regained integrity. Using AI-assisted gait analysis, the team found the mice's motor impairments were reversed, restoring fine movement lost to the stroke.

Stroke affects roughly one in four adults over a lifetime, and about half of survivors are left with lasting disability. "Our findings show that neural stem cells not only form new neurons, but also induce other regeneration processes," said lead researcher Christian Tackenberg, raising hopes that damage long considered permanent in humans could eventually be repaired.

## Sources

- [sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081116.htm)

---
TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/2422-stem-cell-transplants-reverse-stroke-damage-and-restore-movement-in-mice
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/2495-transplantace-kmenovych-bunek-zvratila-poskozeni-mozku-po-mrtvici-a-obnovila