Brain cell therapy 'promising' for Parkinson's disease (hope for Hillary alert)

BBC ^ | April 11, 2017

[Zakeet]

Scientists believe they have found a way to treat and perhaps reverse Parkinson's disease, by making replacement cells to mend the damaged brain.

They say human brain cells can be coaxed to take over the job of the ones that are destroyed in Parkinson's.

Tests in mice with Parkinson-like symptoms showed that the therapy appeared to ease the condition.

Many more studies are needed before similar tests can begin in people.

Experts say the research published in Nature Biotechnology is hugely promising, although at a very early stage.

[Zakeet]

She'll be back ... providing the Rats can keep Granny Pickles alive for another decade or so while doctors figure out how to make this work in humans ...

[dp0622]

### hillary.

For the troops (and yes, for selfish reasons after 10 years of suffering), will they be able to mend the cerebellum and thalamus to stop things like post stroke pain, vivid dreams/night terrors/muscle spasms/rigidity ALL caused by defective signalling from those areas of the brain?

It all comes back to THESE cures are using other brain cells to replace the job the damaged parkinsons cells can’t do.

What about reversing what parts of the brain ARE DOING that you want stopped?

I am not sure how that would help those instances. Could healthy brain cells be coaxed to take over the defective impulses that cause the issues that stroke/brain injury bring with them.

In both cases, Parkinsons and TBI/Stroke, aren’t the defective cells still going to interfere even if new cells take over?

I’m trying to think of an analogy like a generator for power when your electricity is knocked out.

Dont know how well that fits.

Any neuroscience guys on the board? :)

[PGalt]

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

[MagnoliaB]

“(hope for Hillary alert)”

So this therapy for Parkinson’s also cures Kuru?

[DJ Frisat]

"They say human brain cells can be coaxed to take over the job of the ones that are destroyed in Parkinson's."

Hmmmm.... Is it really a good idea to mix human brain cells in with Hillary's?

[Prov1322]

Hey, FRiend, if you're gonna post that shot of Madame Benghazi going up the stairs, let's remember what was really happening...she is just too humble to tell us...

[carolinablonde]

This is interesting. I hope they find a cure. My dad passed away a few years ago after suffering from Parkinson's for more than a decade. It's a vicious disease.

And, for the record, I don't think Hillary has Parkinson's. Some other brain disorder perhaps, but not Parkinson's.

[VanShuyten]

Parkinson’s is caused by the death of neurons that make dopamine. This particular article is about taking astrocytes, which are a kind of support cell for the neurons in the brain, and coaxing them to make dopamine. While it might be a start, it sounds like a method to only increase general levels of dopamine in the brain but not to replace those neurons that have died off. It looks to be a shotgun-type treatment and not one to work on the specific areas that are damaged in Parkinson’s.

Making replacement neurons is still beyond our skills, although there has been limited progress in that over the last couple of decades.

[dp0622]

Thanks. You know, I was given busparine to up my dopamine levels.

Definite damage to dopamine receptor rich areas of my brain.

With symptoms that point it out quite strongly (rather not say them here)

The buspirone has helped quite a bit.

Ah, I’m married so it can be said here. You don’t feel pleasure from things that would usually release a lot of dopamine.

Also dopamine is responsible for movement and a lot of other things and doctors hoped it would help with the spasms and twitches. helped a little

Buspar is a dopamine reuptake inhibitor to some degree and has helped me quite a bit