High-altitude survival gene may help reverse nerve damage

A genetic mutation that helps animals like yaks and Tibetan antelopes survive at high altitudes may hold the key to repairing nerve damage in conditions such as cerebral paralysis and multiple sclerosis (MS). The finding, published in the journal Neuron, reveals a naturally existing pathway that promotes regeneration after nerve damage and could open new doors for treating diseases like MS by leveraging molecules that are already present in the human body.