Abstract: 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.

Abstract: This invention includes embodiments comprising activin and analogs of activin for neuronal rescue in patients having neurons that are subject to death and/or degradation as a result of neurological diseases. In certain embodiments, an activin receptor agonist can be useful for treating neuralogical diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease or other diseases involving neural degeneration and loss of neural function.