West LA Times

UCLA Health researchers have made a significant discovery in stroke rehabilitation by identifying the first drug that replicates the effects of physical rehabilitation in mice. The study, published in Nature Communications, explored two candidate drugs based on research into how rehabilitation affects brain mechanisms. One of these drugs, DDL-920, developed in Varghese John's UCLA lab, showed promising results in restoring movement control after a stroke in mice.

Dr. S. Thomas Carmichael, lead author and professor at UCLA Neurology, explained the challenges faced by stroke patients: "The goal is to have a medicine that stroke patients can take that produces the effects of rehabilitation." He noted that traditional physical rehabilitation is often insufficient due to its demanding intensity and emphasized the need for a shift towards molecular medicine.

The study aimed to understand how physical rehabilitation enhances brain function post-stroke and whether these effects could be replicated through medication. Researchers found that strokes cause loss of connections between brain cells distant from the damage site, affecting movement and gait coordination. Specifically, they identified disruptions in parvalbumin neurons responsible for generating gamma oscillations necessary for coordinated behavior.

By exciting parvalbumin neurons with candidate drugs, including DDL-920, researchers observed restored gamma oscillations and improved movement control in mice models. This breakthrough highlights two critical impacts: identifying a brain substrate linked to rehabilitation's effectiveness and pinpointing a unique drug target within this circuitry.

Further research is required to assess DDL-920's safety and efficacy before considering human trials.