Compounds and methods for increasing neurogenesis

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods of promoting neurogenesis by contacting neuronal tissue with neurogenesis modulating agents. Novel methods for treating neurological disorders using neurogenesis modulating agents are disclosed.

1 - 18 . (canceled)  
     
     
         19 . A method for modulating neurogenesis in vitro comprising the steps of: 
 a) culturing a population of neural cells comprising neural stem cells;    b) adding to the cultured cells at least one neurogenesis modulating agent;    c) repeating steps b until a desired level of neurogenesis in achieved.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the neurogenesis modulating agent is selected from the group of calcitonin, exendin, analogs, variants, fragments and mimetics thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein step (b) elevates intracellular cAMP level of said neural stem cells at least 20%.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the stem cell is isolated from tissue selected from the group consisting of cortex, olfactory tubercle, retina, septum, lateral ganglionic eminence, medial ganglionic eminence, amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, ventral and dorsal mesencephalon, brain stem, cerebellum, spinal cord.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said neurogenesis comprises increasing or maintaining the amount or percentage of doublecortin positive cells in said population of neural cells.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the stem cell is isolated from a mammal.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         26 . A method for alleviating a symptom of a disease or disorder of the central nervous system in a patient comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a population of neural stem cells or neural progenitor cells;    b) contacting the neural stem cells or neural progenitor cells with at least one neurogenesis modulating agent; and    c) delivering the cells to a patient to alleviate the symptom.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of administering the at least one neurogenesis modulating agent for a period of time before the step of delivering the cells.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of administering the at least one neurogenesis modulating agent after said delivering step.  
     
     
         29 . A method for transplanting a population of cells enriched for neural stem cells from a donor to a recipient comprising: 
 (a) contacting a population containing neural stem cells or neural progenitor cells derived from a donor with a neurogenesis modulating agent; and    (b) implanting the selected cells into a recipient.    
     
     
         30 . A method for detecting a gene related to modulating neurogenesis comprising the step of: 
 (a) administrating a neurogenesis modulating agent to a cell; and    (b) identifying the increase or decrease in expression of a gene in said cell.