(UPI) -- A naturally-occurring purine nucleoside improved restoration of motor function in a small study with primates that sustained brain injuries, suggesting the treatment could work for humans with similar impairments.

Inosine, a substance released by cells in response to metabolic stress, allowed rhesus monkeys to regain the same function in their hands that existed before sustaining a brain injury, report researchers at Boston University.

Inosine has been used in clinical trials for multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, and has been shown to help regenerate nerve fibers in previous research. Echoing earlier studies with rodents, the new study shows inosine helped the brain rewire lost connections between neurons in treated monkeys. CONTINUE