Smurfy. Warning: This treatment could turn your skin blue. Researchers have found that Brilliant Blue G (BBG), a close relative of the common food dye, Blue No. 1, may protect neurons in mammals with spinal cord injuries. After such injuries, ATP, which facilitates signaling in neurons, can flood the area around the injured spinal cord and send neurons into a firing frenzy. That leads to inflammation and irreversible tissue damage. But BBG can cross the highly selective blood-brain barrier and block the spinal neuron’s ATP receptors; researchers report online 27 July in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. When administered 15 minutes after an acute spinal cord injury, BBG prevented inflammation and improved motor recovery in rats. But, as you can see, there was one side effect.

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I have to admit, cool side effects but bad beginning. I hate anything about the spinal cord; for some reason it creeps me out. On the other hand, you can’t tell me that  isn’t one awesome looking mouse.