Reversal of fortune for Parkinsons disease transplant treatment
30 June 2010
Researchers funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Imperial College London have overcome a major obstacle in the development of a transplant treatment which could relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, according to new research published today. They hope this discovery will lead to a resurgence in clinical trials in this area.
Research studies in the 1990s showed it was possible to reverse the damage caused by Parkinson’s disease by transplanting brain cells from donated fetal brains into patients suffering from the disease. Some patients showed remarkable improvement in their quality of life, significantly reducing the need for drug treatments.
However this controversial approach was abandoned in the early 2000s after it emerged that the transplant also caused some patients to suffer from jerky, involuntary movements known as dyskinesias. Until now, nobody knew why this happened or whether this side-effect could be successfully treated.
The research team, led by Dr Marios Politis at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College London, scanned the brains of two transplant patients affected by Parkinson’s. The brain scans showed that the involuntary movements were caused by malfunctioning serotonin cells in the area of the brain where the transplant had taken place. The team also found that they could treat the dyskinesias effectively by prescribing a drug which desensitises the serotonin nerve cells.
Dr Marios Politis, lead author from the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College London says: “After the huge excitement surrounding the potential of brain cell transplants in the 1990s, we are thrilled that this discovery could re-open the door to this promising area of research. We know that the benefits of this treatment could last up to 16 years, and we look forward to bringing this treatment one step closer to a reality for Parkinson’s patients. ”
Investment in world-class regenerative medicine research is a key strategic priority for the MRC, helping to fast-track scientific findings from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside, through new and innovative treatments and therapies.
A small number of patients worldwide have undergone this transplant and it is not currently available as an option for treatment in the UK. For more information on the guidelines for using human tissue in medical research, including information on the Human Tissue Act 2004, please visit our website.
The results are published online in Science Translational Medicine.
Ends
Notes to editors
To arrange an interview with Dr Politis please contact the Medical Research Council Press Office on 0207 637 6011 or email press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
1. Parkinson’s is a disabling, neurodegenerative disease which currently affects around 120,000 people in the UK. Symptoms such as tremor, muscle rigidity and slowing down of movement arise when an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra can no longer effectively produce a substance called dopamine. Dopamine is necessary for the smooth, coordinated functioning of the body’s muscles.
2. About the Medical Research Council
For almost 100 years the Medical Research Council has improved the health of people in the UK and around the world by supporting the highest quality science. The MRC invests in world-class scientists. It has produced 29 Nobel Prize winners and sustains a flourishing environment for internationally recognised research. The MRC focuses on making an impact and provides the financial muscle and scientific expertise behind medical breakthroughs, including one of the first antibiotics penicillin, the structure of DNA and the lethal link between smoking and cancer. Today MRC funded scientists tackle research into the major health challenges of the 21st century. www.mrc.ac.uk
3. About Imperial College London
