Cell therapy in Neuroscience

Brain and spinal cord injuries, as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, lead to the death of neurons and, accordingly, the loss of interneuronal contacts necessary for the smooth functioning of the body.

The data published on October 15 at the annual congress of the Society of Neurobiology, obtained during new experimental studies on animal models, indicate the need and the exceptional importance of further work on methods of cell therapy for Parkinson's disease, brain injuries and life-threatening cardiac disorders accompanying spinal cord injuries.

• when implanted in monkeys with symptoms of Parkinson's disease, neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells mature into full-fledged dopamine-producing neurons without causing any side effects (Dustin Wakeman, PhD, abstract 314.11);
• life-threatening cardiac disorders with spinal cord injuries were partially eliminated in rats by introducing stem cells isolated from the brain stem of the embryo. These data indicate the existence of new research prospects in the field of restoration of disorders of the cardiovascular system in people with spinal cord injuries (Armin Blesch, PhD, abstract 637.10);
• experiments on mice have demonstrated the possibility of activating resting adult stem cells with the launch of the production of new neurons that can help in the repair of damage (Nathaniel Hartman, PhD, abstract 823.07).
• the authors of another study believe that they have managed to isolate a signaling protein that triggers the formation of new neurons in the adult brain. It is possible that stimulation of the synthesis of this protein will help in the restoration of neurons lost in neurodegenerative diseases or as a result of injuries to the central nervous system (Anthony Conway, abstract 823.04).

With the development of the field of regenerative neuroscience, scientists have made significant progress, the ultimate goal of which is to transfer the theoretical perspectives of cell therapy into practical medicine. Convincing results obtained as a result of painstaking, carefully planned preclinical animal studies form a solid basis for clinical research and the development of new effective therapies.

The authors' reports can be found on the website of the Congress of the Society of Neurobiology.

Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the Society for Neuroscience:
Realizing the potential of stem cell therapy: studies report progress in developing treatments for diseases and injuries.

17.10.2012