 |
 |
Cell transplant treats Parkinson's Tuesday, 9 April, 2002, 08:59 GMT 09:59 UK - A transplant of cells from his own brain has helped to treat a man who has Parkinson's disease. Scientists say the procedure led to a reduction in the trembling and rigid muscles associated with Parkinson's. More than two years after the experimental treatment, the man has no symptoms of the degenerative brain condition. The scientists isolated adult stem cells from the patient's brain, nurtured them in the lab, and then re-injected them to restore normal function. Stem cells are the body's so-called master cells that have the ability to develop into a range of different tissues. Researcher Dr Michel Levesque, of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said: "This is the first case that shows a promising technique may work. "It is an experimental procedure and has to be investigated further before it becomes accepted procedure." Parkinson's is caused when brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine die off. Dopamine plays a key role in co-ordinating body movement. The patient developed Parkinson's in his 40s. He had tremors and stiffness in his muscles and the drugs used to treat the disease had, as they always do, stopped working. His team drilled into the patient's skull and removed a piece of his brain measuring less than the size of a pea. They then extracted stem cells, and grew them in a special solution. Tests showed that at least some of the cells were producing dopamine. The cells were then injected back into the brain. Scans taken three months after the transplant showed that dopamine had increased by 58%. Dopamine production subsequently dipped, but the symptoms of Parkinson's have not returned. Dr Levesque said it was possible that the symptoms would only reappear some time after dopamine production dies down. Alternatively, the scans might not show everything that is going on in the brain, or other cells might also be involved in the processes that underlie Parkinson's. Dr Levesque's team plan to carry out further trials on more patients. Details of the research were presented at a meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Chicago. Related to this story: Parkinson's stem cell advance (08 Jan 02 | Health) Parkinson's patients denied treatment (26 Mar 02 | Health) 'Chaperones' ward off Parkinson's (27 Dec 01 | Health) Stem cells 'improve stroke recovery' (08 Apr 01 | Health) Internet links: Parkinson's Disease Society European Parkinson's Disease Association British Neuroscience Association Cedar-Sinai Health System American Association of Neurological Surgeons BBC News Online: Health http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/health/newsid_1918000/1918347.stm janet paterson: an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit perky, parky pd: 55/41/37 cd: 55/44/43 tel: 613 256 8340 email: [log in to unmask] smail: 375 Country Street, Almonte, Ontario, Canada, K0A 1A0 a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn