With greater detection potential and the ever-increasing average age of citizens in the United States, neurological disorders are increasingly diagnosed in our country and their effects are gaining national attention. Parkinson’s disease, by itself, has been diagnosed in as many as one million Americans with approximately 60,000 new cases arising each year.
While the impact of Parkinson’s disease is felt all over our society, there is a real lack of understanding of what exactly this disease is and what causes it.
The characteristic effect in Parkinson’s disease is the loss of specific neurons that synthesize dopamine (a neurotransmitter). These neurons are located within the mid-brain at a location called the substantia nigra. Dopamine signalling within the substantia nigra controls smooth motor movement and so dysfunction in this area leads to the jerky motions that are commonly seen in Parkinson’s disease.
What causes these cells to die is still somewhat unknown although a few mechanisms appear to be favored in terms of explaining the pathology of Parkinson’s. Aggregates called Lewy bodies which are made of malformed, clumped proteins are found within the dopamine neurons and create inflammation eventually leading to neuron death.
Whether these protein aggregates are created by overactive enzymes, genetic abnormalities, or environmental factors is still uncertain, but there is a new type of treatment that looks promising for treating neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s.
Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells arise from a mature cell that researchers have been able to induce into a embryological state. These stem cells, also called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells mimic the ability of embryonic stem cells to replicate and diversify into functional, healthy cells of all types and can be used in replacement therapy or as a means to expand research possibilities.
In recent research, iPS cells demonstrated the ability to develop into healthy tissues like dopamine neurons and could potentially be used as a novel treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
Stem cells could revolutionize our treatment of disease as regrowing completely healthy tissues falls within our grasp. The future is much closer than it seems.
Adult Stem Cells: A Potential Treatment for Neurological Disorders
