Therapeutic Potential of Nerve Growth Factor-Modified Hair Follicle Stem Cells Transplantation in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease

February 2026 in “ Journal of Integrative Neuroscience ”

Dan Yang, Lina Liu, Jia Fu

hair follicle stem cells nerve growth factor NGF PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Studysummary In this study, transplantation of hair follicle stem cells and nerve growth factor-modified stem cells significantly reduced amyloid deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation in an Alzheimer's disease rat model, suggesting potential as a treatment option. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The study investigates the therapeutic potential of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and nerve growth factor (NGF)-modified HFSCs in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It involved 60 male SD rats divided into four groups, including a control group. The research demonstrated that NGF-modified HFSCs improved cognitive function, reduced amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition, and decreased tau hyperphosphorylation by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These treatments also enhanced synaptic function and reduced amyloid plaque formation, suggesting that HFSCs and NGF-modified HFSCs could be promising treatment options for AD. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and address any limitations.

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