Cerebral organoid model provides clues about how to prevent virus-induced brain cell death

[Joachim]

Scientists have determined that La Crosse virus (LACV), which can cause inflammation of the brain, or encephalitis, in children, affects brain cells differently depending on their developmental stage. Neurons—the primary brain cells of the central nervous system—evolve from neural stem cells and during development "commit" to becoming neurons. A new National Institutes of Health study shows that uncommitted neural stems cells generally survive LACV infection, while LACV often kills neurons. The study also shows that neurons infected by LACV can be rescued by interferon, a powerful antiviral protein. The study results appear in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.

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