Neurons transplanted into the brains of adult patients with Parkinson’s disease 14 years ago are still healthy, a new study shows.
Researchers checked on five patients that received transplant of dopamine-secreting neurons from fetal tissue and report that the neurons had not degenerated over time. Parkinson’s disease is caused by loss of dopamine-secreting neurons and causes tremors and motor impairment.
Implantation of such neurons could help treat Parkinson’s disease in patients without medication, but is still offered only to a limited number of patients enrolled in clinical trials.
Original research paper published in the the journal Cell Reports on June 5, 2014.
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