University of Minnesota researchers are focusing on finding novel treatments for Parkinson’s disease using stem cells. Parkinson’s disease, which affects a million people in the United States, often begins as a tremor in the hands or feet. Patients later develop trouble with walking and other daily activities as control over the body erodes. While some patients manage their symptoms, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Stem cells offer hope to those with Parkinson’s disease, which is caused by the loss of nerve cells in the brain. These nerve cells produce a neurotransmitter called dopamine. If stem cells can be cultivated to become these dopamine-producing nerve cells, researchers believe that they could replace the lost cells.
Other disorders of the brain or nervous system that might be treated with stem cells include stroke, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and spinal cord injuries.
The treatment method being explored is transplanting stem cells into the target sites of the brain that need dopamine. Researchers have cultivated stem cells from bone marrow, making them very similar to the nerve cells that produce dopamine. They plan to test these cells in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease. Because Parkinson’s disease is caused by the failure of one type of cell to do its job—the dopamine producing cells in the thalamus—Parkinson’s is believed to be one of the most likely beneficiaries of stem cell research.
Treatments for humans are still years away. At this time, it is hard to pinpoint when human clinical trials might begin, as complex research often encounters unexpected hurdles. With current progress in stem cell research, however, researchers believe they may one day cure Parkinson’s disease.
The public can support progress by Stem Cell Institute researchers at the University of Minnesota by contributing to the institute’s fund at the Minnesota Medical Foundation.
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