 |
 |
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_210942.html Scientists may be on verge of curing Parkinson's Scientists may be on the brink of curing Parkinson's disease using transplanted embryonic stem cells. Dr Ole Isacson of Harvard Medical School and Dr Ronald McKay of the National Institutes of Health said they have both "cured" Parkinson's in mice and rats. Dr McKay said the technique may be tested on humans in Britain, France or the Netherlands, as those countries are adopting policies to advance embryonic stem cell research. In a report at the national meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr Isacson said mouse and rat embryonic cells can be grafted into the animal brains where they transform into replacements for cells killed by Parkinson's. Using a slightly different technique, Dr McKay said his NIH lab has also prompted mouse embryonic stem cells to convert into cells that are lacking in Parkinson's. In the United States, some groups oppose the use of embryonic stem cells in research because gathering the cells requires the death of a human embryo. Parkinson's is a disease caused by the death of brain cells that produce dopamine, a key nerve chemical. When patients lose about 80% of these cells, they develop the classic Parkinson's symptoms: tremors and rigidity. Parkinson's can be treated with L-dopa, a drug that makes dopamine in the brain. But L-dopa is effective for only a short time and after that the disease progresses. The best hope for a cure, said researchers, are the embryonic stem cells. These are master cells that can be coaxed to transform into virtually any type of tissue in the body. Embryonic stem cells can be grown in great numbers, making them readily available for treating thousands of patients, the researchers said.