Method for enhancing functional recovery of motor coordination, speech or sensory perception after central nervous system ischemia or trauma

摘要

The present invention provides methods and compositions for treatment of mammals afflicted with an ischemic or traumatic injury of the central nervous system. The present invention capitalizes in part upon the discovery that administration of a morphogen to such a mammal provides significant improvement in central nervous system function, even when administered after central nervous system tissue has been damaged. The methods involve the administration of dimeric proteins defined as morphogens, inducers of these morphogens, or agonists of the corresponding morphogen receptors, or implantation of cells stimulated by exposure to the morphogens. The proteins defined as morphogens comprise a structurally and functionally distinct family within the TGT- beta superfamily. Osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) is considered to be an exemplary and preferred member of this morphogen family.