Posted on 02/18/2006 3:32:17 PM PST by Coleus
MONTREAL, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers said Friday they have uncovered a natural defense mechanism to Alzheimer's disease.
Not surprisingly, it involves stem cells -- those derived from bone marrow.
In Alzheimer's patients, plaque forms in the brain, but the brain's resident immune cells, called microglia, can't fight off the substance. The plaque can then kill off the brain's neurons, or nerve cells.
However, microglia harvested from bone marrow stem cells do appear capable of defeating the plague, said researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at Université Laval and the research centre at Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec, Canada.
The researchers noted that, in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's, the bone marrow-derived microglia were specifically drawn to the amyloid proteins that form plague in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
"The discovery ... is an important step towards a new therapeutic approach to Alzheimer's disease," states Rémi Quirion, scientific director of Canada's Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA). "It is the perfect example of the potential social benefits of investing in health research," he said.
The Canadian scientists said that 280,000 Canadians aged 65 and over have Alzheimer's.
That's what NARAL said.
According to http://www.stemcellresearch.org, Embryonic stem cells pose an unusual risk for genetic changes and tumor formation, with the risk increasing the longer the cells are grown, thus making their therapeutic use even more speculative and problematic.
Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning: Questions and Answers
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/bioethic/stemcell/answers08052004.htm
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A Catholic Respect Life Curriculum
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Actually it does have a g in the text in two places and correctly spelled with a q in 2 other places! Heh! This is what happens when you rely only on spell checkers instead of you own eyes.
My mother had Alzheimers...my dad took care of her, while he was able to...after he died from cancer, I brought mom to my home, and cared for her there for the few years she had left, until she died...
Certainly this is difficult...its so hard, to watch ones parents become mentally a somewhat different person...loss of memories is so difficult to cope with...
Yet, tough as it may be, caring for ones parents or spouse, with the disease, is so very worthwhile...you have the satisfaction of making their lives so much better, for you having taken care of them...and you will eventually also be the better for it, knowing that you honored them as your parents, in the very best way you could...
Best of luck to you...
sw
My father has Alzheimers (with Parkinsons) and I am his caretaker too. It is sad to see this person change, but at the same time it is agonizingly slow. I'm glad for the time we have with him, but it's sad to see him be aware of him 'losing his mind' as he puts it.
Paleo was being sarcastic. Anyway, umbilical cord stem cells are not considered embryonic stem cells. For all intents and purposes, they are like adult stem cells in that the 'host' does not have to be dead.
This would be AWESOME if it truly works!!
I always thought the saddest words committed to film were Hal's.
What are you doing Dave?
My mind is slipping.
I can feel it slipping...
Gordongekko909:
That's what NARAL said.
Are you unable to spot sarcasm without someone putting a "/sarcasm" tag on a comment? What do you do in ordinary conversation where there is no written punctuation?
Thank you! Why do so many Freepers require being beaten over the head with a "/sarcasm" tag in order to be aware that sarcasm is intended? Anyway "/sarcasm" implies the end of sarcasm. When did I ever say I was finnished being sarcastic?
See, you should be asking yourself the exact same thing right about now.
Thanx, bfl
Thank you. That's an awsome list.
Please pardon any redundant pings.
Canada elects a conservative and look what happens.
God bless you and your mother. My mother has Parkinson's and is losing the ability to walk and talk, but there is nothing worse than Alzheimer's.
My heart and prayers go out to you.
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