Evaluation of a novel neurogenic agent in the spastic Han-Wistar, a rat model of ataxic neurodegeneration

The recent discovery of adult neurogenesis has led to increased interest in utilizing this phenomenon to treat many neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, ischemia, and ataxia. One presumed neurogenic drug is the small molecule NNI-X01 provided by NeuroN ascent Inc. (www.neuronascent.com), which was tested for efficacy against an animal model of ataxia. The spastic Han-Wistar (sHW) rat exhibits motor dysfunction related to ataxia and linked to cell death in the hippocampus (CA3 Pyramidal neurons) and cerebellum (Purkinje cells) beginning at 20 days of age with eventual death by day 65. (See more in text.