This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BD697B.6DFAF8A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable For your information: =20 What's New Medical News & Alerts Conferences & Meetings =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 Other Medical=20 Resources =20 Employment Opportunities Partnering Opportunities =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 -------------------------------------------------------------------- = =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 First choose a quiz Alzheimer's Diabetes =20 =20 =20 =20 -------------------------------------------------------------------- = =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 Fetal Pig Cells Transplanted Into Brains Of Parkinson's = Patients -------------------------------------------------------------------- = =20 -------------------------------------------------------------------- = =20 =20 PHILADELPHIA, PA -- April 16, 1998 -- For the first time in = medical history, researchers have transplanted fetal brain cells from = pigs into humans to treat a degenerative disease of the brain. =20 Results of this research will be presented at the annual = meeting of The American Association of Neurological Surgeons later this = month in Philadelphia. =20 This research marks the first time brain cells from an = animal have been transplanted into a human. Investigators will present = the one year follow-up data on 12 patients who have had moderate to = severe Parkinson's Disease for an average of 13.9 years and received the = treatment. =20 "We are very excited about this research because our results = have been positive and this method of treatment has the potential to = help not only Parkinson's patients, but also patients with other = degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Lou = Gehrig's Diseases," said neurosurgeon James Schumacher, MD, who is the = primary author of the paper. =20 Parkinson's Disease affects over one million people in the = United States and is characterized by tremor, slowness in movement, = difficulty walking, balance problems, difficulty writing and holding = objects. =20 Parkinson's Disease is caused by a chemical imbalance in the = brain. Normally, the substantia nigra part of the brain produces two = chemicals, dopamine and acetylcholine, in equal amounts. These chemicals = are called neurotransmitters and are sent to the striatum, another part = of the brain, that controls movement and balance. When the body wants to = make a movement, anything from walking to picking up a cup of coffee, = the striatum releases these neurotransmitters through the nervous system = to the appropriate muscles, producing smooth, coordinated movement = within a fraction of a second. =20 In Parkinson's Disease, the cells in the brain that produce = dopamine begin to die, leading to an imbalance between the two = neurotransmitters. This imbalance causes the shaking, hesitant movements = that characterize Parkinsonian patients. Researchers do not know the = cause of Parkinson's Disease. =20 "Parkinson's Disease comes on slowly and at first may be as = simple as an annoying shaking in the hands," said Douglas Kondziolka, = MD, professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh and a = leading expert in Parkinson's Disease treatment. "But as time goes on, = patients cannot write, cannot drink from a glass and have great = difficulty in producing the muscle movements needed to walk." =20 Treatment for Parkinson's Disease traditionally has included = medications to reduce the amount of acetylcholine in the brain or to = force the remaining cells to produce more dopamine than normal to = restore the balance. In recent years, surgical techniques such as = pallidotomy, thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation, have significantly = reduced the symptoms of Parkinson's in patients who did not respond to = drug therapy or who have become resistant to the medications. These = surgical procedures involve making lesions, or cuts, in specific parts = of the brain in order to prevent the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, = such as tremor. =20 "With cell transplantation, instead of deconstructing, we = are reconstructing," Dr. Schumacher said. "The cells we implant are = actually producing dopamine and, therefore, are repairing the brain, not = just the helping to rebalance neural activity." =20 In cell transplantation, cells are taken from fetal, or = unborn, developing, pigs and are transplanted into a human brain. These = cells are primitive and are not fully developed. =20 "The timing is extremely important," Dr. Schumacher said. = "We need the cells to be primitive so they are not yet developing = dopamine, but they have to be just about ready to start. At the point we = take the cells, they have not yet been differentiated from human brain = cells." =20 Transplanting human fetal cells is also being studied, but = the lack of availability of these cells have hampered these efforts. In = Dr. Schumacher's research, both fetal pig cells and patients were = treated with anti-rejection methods and no overt signs of rejection or = untoward events have been seen. =20 Heart valves from pigs have been used for human = transplantation in the past with significant success and little = rejection problems. =20 "This research is a stepping stone and is something that we = will continue to investigate more thoroughly over the next few years," = Dr. Schumacher said.=20 -------------------------------------------------------------------- = =20 More "Top of the News" stories -------------------------------------------------------------------- = =20 Just type your keywords in the space provided below, then = click on the Search button. 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content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type><TITLE>Fetal Pig Cells Transplanted Into = Brains Of Parkinson's Patients</TITLE><Bass=20 href=3Dhttp://www.pslgroup.com/dg/6cb06.htm><!-- Lotus InterNotes Web = Publisher 4.0 --> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY aLink=3D#001fa4 bgColor=3D#ffffff link=3D#005294 text=3D#000000 = vLink=3D#005294> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>For your information:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <P> <P><A name=3DTOP> <TABLE border=3D0 cellPadding=3D5 cellSpacing=3D0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=3Dtop width=3D92> <CENTER><A = href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/docguide.htm"><IMG border=3D0=20 src=3D"/gif/contentsg.gif"></A> <P><IMG src=3D"/gif/headDep.gif"> <P> <H5><A href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/whatsnew.htm">What's = New</A> <P><A href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/mednews.htm">Medical=20 News<BR>& Alerts</A> <P><A=20 = 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url>Alzheimer's <OPTION=20 = value=3Dhttp://www.pslgroup.com/cgi-shl/rcount.pl?http://www.pslgroup.com= /quiz/diab_ques.html;Document;1;39=20 name =3D url>Diabetes</SELECT> <INPUT border=3D0=20 src=3D"/quiz/gifs/quizbanner_.gif" = type=3Dimage=20 value =3D = Go!></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></FORM><!--End = Banner--></CENTER></TD></TR> <TR> <TD align=3Dright vAlign=3Dtop> <H5></H5></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> <HR width=3D100%> <BR> <CENTER><IMG src=3D"/gif/dg-mon.gif"></CENTER><BR><BR> <CENTER><FONT size=3D+2>Fetal Pig Cells Transplanted Into = Brains Of=20 Parkinson's Patients</FONT></CENTER> <HR align=3Dcenter SIZE=3D3 width=3D60%> <HR align=3Dcenter SIZE=3D3 width=3D30%> <BR>PHILADELPHIA, PA -- April 16, 1998 -- For the first time = in=20 medical history, researchers have transplanted fetal brain = cells=20 from pigs into humans to treat a degenerative disease of the = brain.<BR> <P>Results of this research will be presented at the annual = meeting=20 of The American Association of Neurological Surgeons later = this=20 month in Philadelphia.<BR> <P>This research marks the first time brain cells from an = animal=20 have been transplanted into a human. Investigators will = present the=20 one year follow-up data on 12 patients who have had moderate = to=20 severe Parkinson's Disease for an average of 13.9 years and = received=20 the treatment.<BR> <P>"We are very excited about this research because our = results=20 have been positive and this method of treatment has the = potential to=20 help not only Parkinson's patients, but also patients with = other=20 degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's, Huntington's = and Lou=20 Gehrig's Diseases," said neurosurgeon James Schumacher, = MD, who=20 is the primary author of the paper.<BR> <P>Parkinson's Disease affects over one million people in = the United=20 States and is characterized by tremor, slowness in movement, = difficulty walking, balance problems, difficulty writing and = holding=20 objects.<BR> <P>Parkinson's Disease is caused by a chemical imbalance in = the=20 brain. Normally, the substantia nigra part of the brain = produces two=20 chemicals, dopamine and acetylcholine, in equal amounts. = These=20 chemicals are called neurotransmitters and are sent to the = striatum,=20 another part of the brain, that controls movement and = balance. When=20 the body wants to make a movement, anything from walking to = picking=20 up a cup of coffee, the striatum releases these = neurotransmitters=20 through the nervous system to the appropriate muscles, = producing=20 smooth, coordinated movement within a fraction of a = second.<BR> <P>In Parkinson's Disease, the cells in the brain that = produce=20 dopamine begin to die, leading to an imbalance between the = two=20 neurotransmitters. This imbalance causes the shaking, = hesitant=20 movements that characterize Parkinsonian patients. = Researchers do=20 not know the cause of Parkinson's Disease.<BR> <P>"Parkinson's Disease comes on slowly and at first = may be as=20 simple as an annoying shaking in the hands," said = Douglas=20 Kondziolka, MD, professor of neurosurgery at the University = of=20 Pittsburgh and a leading expert in Parkinson's Disease = treatment.=20 "But as time goes on, patients cannot write, cannot = drink from=20 a glass and have great difficulty in producing the muscle = movements=20 needed to walk."<BR> <P>Treatment for Parkinson's Disease traditionally has = included=20 medications to reduce the amount of acetylcholine in the = brain or to=20 force the remaining cells to produce more dopamine than = normal to=20 restore the balance. In recent years, surgical techniques = such as=20 pallidotomy, thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation, have=20 significantly reduced the symptoms of Parkinson's in = patients who=20 did not respond to drug therapy or who have become resistant = to the=20 medications. These surgical procedures involve making = lesions, or=20 cuts, in specific parts of the brain in order to prevent the = symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, such as tremor.<BR> <P>"With cell transplantation, instead of = deconstructing, we=20 are reconstructing," Dr. Schumacher said. "The = cells we=20 implant are actually producing dopamine and, therefore, are=20 repairing the brain, not just the helping to rebalance = neural=20 activity."<BR> <P>In cell transplantation, cells are taken from fetal, or = unborn,=20 developing, pigs and are transplanted into a human brain. = These=20 cells are primitive and are not fully developed.<BR> <P>"The timing is extremely important," Dr. = Schumacher=20 said. "We need the cells to be primitive so they are = not yet=20 developing dopamine, but they have to be just about ready to = start.=20 At the point we take the cells, they have not yet been=20 differentiated from human brain cells."<BR> <P>Transplanting human fetal cells is also being studied, = but the=20 lack of availability of these cells have hampered these = efforts. In=20 Dr. Schumacher's research, both fetal pig cells and patients = were=20 treated with anti-rejection methods and no overt signs of = rejection=20 or untoward events have been seen.<BR> <P>Heart valves from pigs have been used for human = transplantation=20 in the past with significant success and little rejection=20 problems.<BR> <P>"This research is a stepping stone and is something = that we=20 will continue to investigate more thoroughly over the next = few=20 years," Dr. Schumacher said.=20 <P> <CENTER> <HR align=3Dcenter SIZE=3D3 width=3D30%> <B><A href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/MEDNEWS.HTM">More = "Top of=20 the News" stories</A></B> <HR align=3Dcenter SIZE=3D3 width=3D30%> </CENTER> <P>Just type your keywords in the space provided below, then = click=20 on the Search button. <P> <FORM = action=3Dhttp://www.pslgroup.com/cgi-bin/AT-dg12search.exe=20 method=3Dpost> <TABLE> <TBODY> <TR> <TD><B>Enter keywords you wish to find information=20 about:</B></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <INPUT name=3Dsearch size=3D50></TD> <TD><INPUT type=3Dsubmit value=3DSearch SIZE =3D = 50></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <INPUT name=3Dsource type=3Dhidden value=3Dlocal = CHECKED></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <INPUT name=3Dsp type=3Dhidden value=3Dsp></FORM> <P> <CENTER> <HR align=3Dcenter SIZE=3D3 width=3D30%> <P> <P> <CENTER> <FORM action=3Dhttp://www.pslgroup.com/cgi-shl/menu.pl><A=20 = href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/cgi-shl/rcount.pl?http://www.docguide.com= /quiz.nsf/winacddg;newsitems;3;38"><IMG=20 alt=3D"win a prize"=20 src=3D"http://www.docguide.com/gif/winanim_psl.gif"></A> = </CENTER> <P></P> <P> <HR align=3Dcenter SIZE=3D3 width=3D30%> <P></CENTER><BR> <P> <HR width=3D100%> <BR> <CENTER><A = href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/docguide.htm"><IMG border=3D0=20 src=3D"/gif/buthome.gif"><A=20 href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/search.htm"><IMG border=3D0=20 src=3D"/gif/butsearch.gif"><A=20 href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/sitemap.htm"><IMG border=3D0 = src=3D"/gif/butindex.gif"><A=20 href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/sponsor.htm"><IMG border=3D0 = src=3D"/gif/butspons.gif"><A = href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]"><IMG=20 border=3D0 src=3D"/gif/butemail.gif"></A> <P> <HR width=3D100%> <P><FONT size=3D-1><B>Any question regarding a medical = diagnosis,=20 treatment, referral, drug availability or<BR>pricing should = be=20 directed to either a licenced physician or to the product's=20 manufacturer. <P><BR>If you have any technical questions or other concerns = about<BR>this site, feel free to contact us at <A=20 = href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A>.</B><BR= > <P><B>All contents <A=20 href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com/COPYRGTH.HTM">Copyright</A> = (c) 1998=20 <A href=3D"http://www.pslgroup.com">P\S\L Consulting Group = Inc.</A>=20 All rights reserved.</B> <P></FONT><BR><A href=3D"http://www.blissco.com"><IMG = align=3Dmiddle=20 border=3D0 = src=3D"/gif/blissball2.gif"></A></CENTER></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <P><BR></P></FORM></A></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BD697B.6DFAF8A0--