Scientists reveal that stem cell transplant may help heal brain damage caused by Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease is the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that can cause movement disorders and millions of people across the globe are affected by the disease. Medical experts explain that Parkinson's disease results in the loss of dopamine producing cells, which are responsible for movement and mood. Scientists claim that stem cell transplant were able to reinstate dopamine levels to normal.
An international team of researchers have found that if neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are transplanted to the brain, it can help in the restoration of the motor function in a rat. Researchers suggest that the same can be applied to humans to combat Parkinson's disease.
"Our study represents an important milestone in the preclinical assessment of hESC-derived dopamine neurons and provides essential support for their usefulness in treating Parkinson's disease," says Malin Parmar of Lund University, who is a senior author of the study.
For the purpose of the study, researchers destroyed dopamine-producing cells of a lab rats' brain. Then they converted hESCs into dopamine producing cells. The cells were injected in the brain of the rats and researchers found that the initial loss and damage of the dopamine-producing cells were restored.
The dopamine levels reached back to normal within five months and also established long-distance connectivity pattern in the brain of the rats.
Currently, there have been no clinical trials on humans but scientists are optimistic that their model will be ready for testing on humans by 2017. However, it is a big milestone in the medical field and also a step forward to achieve effective treatment for Parkinson's disease.
A previous study conducted by researchers at the University of California (UC) in 2013 used a similar method to transplant fetal brain cells in an epileptic rat. The model was also tried on limited number of humans but was abandoned due to mixed results of the clinical trial.
However, experts believe that stem cell transplant may be a better approach when compared to fetal cell transplant.
Arthur Roach, the director of research and development at charity Parkinson's UK, reveals that the latest study is an important stride in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, there are still a number of questions that need an answer before clinical trials on humans can begin.
