Neural stem cells part of experimental treatment for ALS patients
August 23, 2012
Neurosurgeons at Emory University deliver a second dose of neural cells into the spinal cord of an ALS patient (credit: Kerry Ludlam, Emory University)
This week, surgeons at Emory University in Atlanta implanted a second dose of neural cells into a patient’s spinal cord, part of an experimental treatment aimed at slowing the progression of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, Technology Review reports.
The cells are produced by a Rockland, Maryland-based company called Neuralstem that isolates stem cells from the brain and spinal cord of aborted fetuses.
The company is also targeting other major central nervous system conditions with its cell therapy platform, including spinal cord injury, ischemic spastic paraplegia, chronic stroke, and brain cancer.
The hope is that the cells injected into the spinal cord will provide support, perhaps by releasing growth factors, and prevent motor neurons from dying.
Able to move his limbs with strength and dexterity
In his first surgery, Harada received 10 injections, each containing about 100,000 cells, on the sides of his lower spinal cord. After the procedure, he was able to move his limbs with strength and dexterity that surpassed his abilities before the treatment. While some ALS patients may see brief periods of small improvements or stabilization, this degree of recovery is unheard of. In the last few months, Harada says his abilities have slowly been regressing, although at a slower pace than before the treatment.
Another ALS trial, under way at the Mayo Clinic, is testing a treatment that injects a patient’s own stem cells, isolated from fat tissue, into his or her spinal fluid. So far, two patients have undergone the procedure.
If the procedure proves safe, one of the next steps for the field would be to genetically modify the cells to produce specific growth factors likely to prevent motor neuron death.
Hopefully, the treatment will become available for Stephen Hawking. — Ed.
Comments (2)
by Gorden Russell
Well, melajara, if it ever becomes a common thing to get brain shots to restore your failing memory, I’d be all for it. It just dawned on me, I can’t remember the names of the people I used to work with.
by melajara
I wonder when such procedures for VOLUNTARY intelligence or (motor) skills augmentation will be authorized and/or actually started.
The dominant paradigm is that learning in youngsters proceeds from neuronal circuits selection in a redundant repertoire followed by attrition of the non used pre-wired connections.
It is quite a shame that the brain potential of people up to 7 -when myelination starts to kick in and gradually slows down brain plasticity- is not exploited to optimize important skill acquisitions (motor coordination, internal imagery, verbal aptitudes, music, math intuition, aesthetic sense, etc).
Yet targeted use of stem cells would restore on a temporary basis this overconnectivity, offering a second chance as a learning booster for grown-up people.
Using neuronal stem cells or a variety of neuron progenitors would restore part of this marvelous plasticity in adults for potential cognitive enhancements.
I think there would be a lot of volunteers, me included, to have a chance to patch up cognitive lapses, so the ethical obstacles are moot to me.
No pain, no gain they say, it is thus normal that the potential rewards for such volunteers would be in proportion to the risks taken.