A drug that acts like a growth-promoting protein in the brain reduces degeneration and motor deficits associated with Huntington's disease in two mouse models of the disorder, according to a study appearing November 27 in the Journal of Neuroscience. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that protecting or boosting neurotrophins—the molecules that support the survival and function of nerve cells—may slow the progression of Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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