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Dear Ray Thank you for interesting article. This report shows how complicated stem cell treatment for Parkinson's is. The poor survival rate of transplanted stem cells is a major technical issue that has not been overcomed. NK, Malaysia > Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 14:21:44 -0700 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: New PD Research news from Viartis > To: [log in to unmask] > > > PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS > > > 5th September 2009 - New research > RETINAL STEM CELLS DISAPPEAR AFTER SURGERY FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE > > Neurology [2009] Sep 2. [Epub ahead of print] (Farag ES, Vinters HV, > Bronstein J.) Complete abstract > > Retinal pigment epithelial cells have been found to disappear after being > used in a form of surgery intended for use in Parkinson's Disease. For > years, the use of implanted stem cells have been claimed to have the > potential to rid Parkinson's Disease. One of these means is the use of RPE > (retinal pigment epithelium) cells. These cells are found in the eyes and > can also produce dopamine, the substance whose deficiency causes Parkinson's > Disease. A 68-year-old man underwent surgical implantation of 325,000 RPE > cells in Spheramine (gelatin microcarriers) for the treatment of Parkinson's > Disease. He happened to die six months after the surgery took place. This > enabled the researchers to see what happened to retinal stem cells after > surgical implantation. Over 99.9% of the cells had disappeared after only > six months. Implanted cells simply failed to survive. A previous study using > the same methods demonstrated only a moderate benefit for six months. For > more details see the Complete abstract. Despite different forms of stem cell > surgery now being carried out in countries around the world, there is not > even one study in the entire medical literature showing that anybody has > ever been rid of Parkinson's Disease by this means. In order to refer to > this article on its own click here. > > 2nd September 2009 - News report > PIMAVANSERIN FAILS CLINICAL TRIAL FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE > > Pimavanserin, a drug in development for psychosis related to Parkinson's > Disease failed to have any beneficial effect in clinical trials. Psychotic > episodes, such as hallucinations and delusions, sometimes occur in > Parkinson's Disease. The drug was being developed by Arcadia and Biovail. > For more information go to Biovail. Parkinson's Disease is largely due to > insufficient dopamine. Psychosis appears to be due to almost the opposite - > an excess or an accumulation of dopamine. This is why anti-psychotic drugs > can cause Parkinson's Disease symptoms, and why Parkinson's Disease drugs > can sometimes cause symptoms of psychosis. Pimavanserin is a "5-HT 2A > receptor inverse agonist". Biochemically that could have no effect on the > excessive dopamine found in psychosis. So the failure of Pimavanserin in > clinical trials is almost predictable. The psychosis sometimes experienced > in Parkinson's Disease is normally due to the excessive use of dopaminergic > drugs. So a reduction in the use of those drugs is a more rational approach > than using an additional drug to combat the effects of dopaminergic drugs. > In order to refer to this article on its own click here. > > > Rayilyn Brown > Director AZNPF > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > [log in to unmask] > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn _________________________________________________________________ With Windows Live, you can organize, edit, and share your photos. http://www.microsoft.com/malaysia/windows/windowslive/products/photo-gallery-edit.aspx ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn