Aging of the adult neural stem cell niche

The adult central nervous system (CNS) lacks internal mechanisms for replacing its damaged, diseased, or aged tissue. Many central nervous system disorders associated with aging may be caused by elevated levels of oxidative stress resulting from exposure to toxins, pollutants, and carcinogens during aging. Discovery of an endogenous adult neural stem cell niche (SCN), however, has raised hope for an alternative approach to utilize mechanisms for cell replacement in the CNS. Dr. Ghashghaei's research will focus on determining whether or not responsiveness to oxidative stress is associated with remodeling and repair of the SCN in the aged brain. Mechanisms unraveled by his studies may open up new ways of looking at the causes of a number of aging-related CNS disorders and provide alternative therapeutic approaches in the future treatment of these diseases.