Nerve cells could transform the treatment of Parkinson’s
“The cells we transplant are early-stage neurons that are in the process of developing into dopamine cells, but that have not fully matured. After the cells are transplanted into the patient’s brain, we expect them to mature, send out long nerve fibres and start producing dopamine, as we have seen them do in our preclinical studies,” says Agnete Kirkeby.
A New Stem Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease Has Been Confirmed Safe and Effective for the First Time
In the past year, 136 patients received treatment, leading to a total of 473 stem cell administrations. Patients who underwent the treatment experienced significant improvements in their physical functions, which included alleviating hand tremors, enhancing walking stability, and reducing symptoms of paralysis. Furthermore, notable advancements were observed in mental and psychological well-being, such as restored sleep quality, improved emotional stability, and decreased depressive symptoms.
Past, present, and future of cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease
Starting from the late 1980s, stem cell scientists attempted CRT using fVM tissues dissected from aborted embryos (typically 6 to 9 weeks old) because they showed the most promising outcomes among various dopamine-producing cells.
Can dopamine be restored in Parkinson’s patients?
Huge advances in technology make it possible to turn precursor cells, derived from pluripotent stem cells, into dopamine-producing neurons. We now can grow an almost unlimited number of these cells with a high degree of quality control.
