Towards Transplantation of Stem Cell Derived Neurons for Parkinson ' s Disease

The more obvious manifestations of Parkinson's disease stem from the the loss of a small population of dopamine-generating neurons. These cells are more sensitive to the underlying pathology of α-synuclein protein aggregation that drives the condition. Researchers have been working towards cell therapies that deliver new neurons for a long time now. A variety of clinical trials are underway, using a variety of cell sources; here, one of those programs has advanced to the stage of a first treated patient. None of these programs have yet emerged into widespread clinical practice. Is replacing cells the best way forward in this condition? It seems likely that ways to remove the toxic protein aggregates would be more beneficial, given that (a) they are causing other harms, and (b) transplanted cells will likely succumb to the same environmental issues caused by the aggregates. There are around eight million people living with Parkinson's disease globally; a disease which involves loss of dopamine nerve cells deep in the brain, leading to problems in controlling movement. The standard treatment for Parkinson's disease are medications that replace the lost dopamine, but over time these medications often become less effective and cause side effects. As of today, there are no treatments that can repair the damaged structures within the brain or that can replace the nerve cells that are lost. The STEM-PD trial is now testing a new investigational therapy aimed at repl...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs