 |
 |
'Scaffolding' Hope For Parkinson's (replicated in miniature to build a gel-like brain implant) 17:40 AEST Sat Jun 5 2004 Scaffolding used in building construction is being replicated in miniature to build a gel-like brain implant scientists hope will stop the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Researchers have designed a system of tiny scaffolding to be injected into the brain of Parkinson's patients and help reconnect nerves that have disintegrated. Along with colleagues at Melbourne's Monash University, PhD student Kylie Compton has created a gel-like substance that builds its own fine, soft scaffold when it warms up to normal body temperature. New nerve cells coaxed from stem cells are injected along with the gel, and the 0.5mm-wide scaffolding encourages the nerves to grow and join up the regions of the brain that Parkinson's disease has disconnected. "In Parkinson's certain neurons of the brain are destroyed and nobody knows why they're destroyed, but once those particular neurons die the symptoms of Parkinson's disease emerge," Ms Compton explained. "These cells run along a very small pathway, only about three centimetres long, that connect two parts of the brain, so to repair that pathway will treat Parkinson's disease. "It doesn't cure the problem because nobody knows why the cells die so we can't prevent that." Work with rats has shown the new nerve cells should last about 10 years before the disease once more destroys them, Ms Compton said. "Given that most Parkinson's patients are over the age of 50, 10 years is a much longer stretch than they would normally expect," she added. The lab experiments have shown great promise, but Ms Compton said researchers are still some years away from testing their invention in humans. If successful, the scaffolding gel could be used as the basis for treating a variety of other conditions. "Any disease that needs a neuron (nerve) track to be guided such as Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases," Ms Compton said. "Spinal cord injury is similar, it's related, but at the moment we're specifically looking at the brain." Neurodegeneration is a common theme of many nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Lou Gehrig's Disease, macular degeneration, head trauma, epilepsy and stroke. SOURCE: AAP / Ninemsn, Australia http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=9781 * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn