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Brain cells a gift for research By LUKE SAYER 07nov03 A PRECIOUS gift could be the key to finding a cure to devastating diseases of the brain, a leading research scientist said yesterday. Professor Richard Faull told the Huntington's Disease National Conference in Burnie he and his University of Auckland team were at the forefront of research into the us of adult neural stem cells. The researchers hope their work could lead to a cure for conditions affecting the brain --_ such as Huntington's, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and epilepsy. Professor Faull said his team did a lot of work with the families of people who died with brain diseases. "They are giving us the most precious gift of their loved one's brain, which is pretty unique," he said. "We have found in the last two years that we have stem cells in the adult human brain, and these stem cells have the potential to make new brain cells." Professor Faull said the idea that we are all growing older and dumber was rubbish, and the human brain could repair itself. The challenge for science was to find a way to stimulate and speed up the repair process in people with neuro- degenerative disease. "We have found from people with Huntington's that the brain does make new cells, but not fast enough or early enough to make a difference," he said. "My mission in life is to find how we switch on these cells to start early." The critical part of the research was the use of adult stem cells -- quite different to using embryonic cells. "What we are doing is using people's own cells, which doesn't present the ethical problems and controversies," Professor Faull said. "Our whole perception can now change for brain diseases such as Huntington's, Parkinson's or epilepsy." Almost 100 delegates from across Australia are attending the two-day conference in Burnie, which also celebrates 25 years of the Huntington's Disease Association in Tasmania. SOURCE: Hobart Mercury, Australia http://www.themercury.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,7790026,00.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn