Two early-stage trials demonstrate the safety of injecting stem-cell-derived neurons into the brains of Parkinson's disease patients, showing potential dopamine production benefits. The studies utilized two types of stem cells: embryonic-derived and induced pluripotent stem cells (adult cells reverted to an embryonic state), both successfully differentiating into dopamine-producing neurons. With Japan leading in iPS-cell clinical trials, there's optimism, yet public concerns about safety and the need for larger trials persist without definitive proof of efficacy.
The results of two early-stage trials show that injecting stem-cell-derived neurons into the brains of people with Parkinson's disease is safe.
The trials transplanted a relatively small number of cells into 19 individuals, which isn't enough to prove that the treatment is effective.
Nonetheless, the results are 'a big leap in the field', she says.
The putamen forms part of the larger striatum, which is connected to the substantia nigra, where the loss of dopamine-sensitive neurons is most severe in Parkinson's.
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