Healthy living
Body matters
New hope for people with Parkinson’s
US scientists have come one step closer to developing a cure for Parkinson’s disease using stem cell therapy
A technique called therapeutic cloning has been used to successfully treat mice with the degenerative brain disease. The team, led by researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York, are now hoping that they will be able to replicate the treatment in humans. The therapy could potentially be used to combat a range of other conditions including Alzheimer’s, diabetes and spinal paralysis.
Experts in the UK have welcomed the findings. ‘Stem cell therapy offers great hope for repairing the brain in people with Parkinson’s. It may ultimately offer a cure, allowing people to lead a life that is free from the symptoms of Parkinson’s,’ says Dr Kieran Breen, Director of Research and Development at the Parkinson’s Disease Society.
‘For the first time, we can see that it may be possible to create a person’s own embryonic stem cells to potentially treat their Parkinson’s.'
Therapeutic cloning involves using embryonic stem cells harvested directly from the patient. Embryonic stem cells are special because they can become any type of tissue in the body. The new treatment overcomes the problems of rejection because the new tissue is derived from the patient’s own cells.
Parkinson’s, which affects movements such as walking, talking and writing, occurs because of the death of nerve cells in the brain. These are responsible for producing a chemical called dopamine that helps coordinate movement. The new therapy aims to use stem cells to grow new nerve cells to replace those damaged by the disease.
Researchers now need to carry out more studies to satisfy safety concerns and to make the process more efficient before these studies are carried out on people living with Parkinson’s.
Around 120,000 people in the UK suffer from Parkinson’s disease and it generally affects people over the age of 50.
At present there is no cure for Parkinson’s but there are drugs that are used to try and control the symptoms.
This latest study highlights the potential of embryonic stem cell research at a time when the government is in the process of debating legislation that could open up this controversial field of study.
See also:
- Parkinson’s Disease Society website - www.parkinsons.org.uk
- Your health: news, advice and information
- Health experts: Q&As with our GP
- Keeping Mum: Marianne Talbot's carer's diary
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.