The invention discloses a family of peptides termed NRP compounds or NRPs
that can promote neuronal migration, neurite outgrowth, neuronal
proliferation, neural differentiation and/or neuronal survival, and
provides compositions and methods for the use of NRPs in the treatment of
brain injury and neurodegenerative disease. NRP compounds can induce
neurons and neuroblasts to proliferate and migrate into areas of damage
caused by acute brain injury or chronic neurodegenerative disease, such
as exposure to toxins, stroke, trauma, nervous system infections,
demyelinating diseases, dementias, and metabolic disorders. NRP compounds
may be administered directly to a subject or to a subject's cells by a
variety of means including orally, intraperitoneally, intravascularly,
and directly into the nervous system of a patient. NRP compounds can be
formulated into pharmaceutically acceptable dose forms for therapeutic
use. Methods for detecting neural regeneration, neural proliferation,
neural differentiation, neurite outgrowth and neural survival can be used
to develop other neurally active agents.
