Study Document
Pages:5 (1386 words)
Sources:7
Subject:Health
Topic:Parkinsons Disease
Document Type:Research Paper
Document:#32127824
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia, while Parkinson’s disease is known as a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects significantly more men than women. The two disorders have some similar symptoms but are also very different. With regards to treatment, no standard intervention has been developed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disorder. The only existing drugs are those that address some of the symptoms. Likewise, there is no standard therapy for those with Parkinson’s disease. But lifestyle changes, approved drugs, and surgical operations can be recommended to address symptoms. Nevertheless, stem cell research has shown a lot of promise in helping to restore and regenerate destroyed brain tissues and is, therefore, currently being tested to help treat brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. This work looks at what the evidence is saying about the efficacy of stem cell transplants approach in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. It also investigates the possible drawbacks of using the approach.
Introduction
Expectations from medical researchers to come up with a breakthrough treatment for the most widely-occurring neurodegenerative ailments in the French population, namely, Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), which impact nearly 200,000 and 900,000 individuals, respectively, are now higher than ever before. Considering the nation's aging population, these figures are expected to continually climb, with around 1.3 million persons expected to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's by the year 2020 (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). PD represents a neurodegenerative ailment that is marked by dopaminergic neuron degeneration within the pars compacta area of the brain's substantia nigra (Hwang, Gill, Pathak, & Subramanian, 2018). The degeneration occurs due to dopamine-generating nerve cell degeneration within the substantia nigra, which is a mesencephalon area responsible for controlling movement. The degeneration leads to lower levels of neurotransmitter, dopamine, within the patient's brain, vital to body movement regulation.
Parkinson's' clinical symptoms emerge when roughly 70 percent of neurons that produce dopamine get damaged. They include bradykinesia (or a slowing down of physical movement), tremors or shaking, muscular rigidity or stiffness, pain, and impairment in coordination and balance (i.e., postural instability). Disease prevalence is approximately 1.5 times more in males as compared to females; further, PD rates grow with age, with the disease impacting around one to two percent of individuals aged above 70 years. While its causes are yet to be determined, several research scholars claim the disease emerges as a reaction to non-genetic…
…pathways include paracrine effects, immune-modulation, differentiation, and proliferation. Pre-clinical body of research on stem cells shows that the benefits and drawbacks are dependent on stem cell source and type (Bali et al, 2017).
Conclusion
On the whole, stem cell treatment has created great hope among patients diagnosed with multiple degenerative problems and ailments; however, an in-depth assessment of likely risks and risk factors of stem cell-grounded medications is pivotal prior to its widespread approval for clinical administration. For every such medication, the likely patient risks must be appropriately assessed; moreover, distinct inherent stem cell characteristics as well as safety information already acquired about similar product kinds must be taken into consideration. Furthermore, external risk factors such as production, storage, handling, and therapeutic/clinical risk factors may generally contribute to patient risk. In the course of risk assessment, safety-related knowledge of similar medications based on stem cells might prove highly valuable. Established or recorded risks, established risk factors, and likely or anticipated risks ought to be taken into consideration as well during risk assessment (Herberts et al, 2011).
Further studies are needed to establish the best PD and AD model for treatment of the diseases. There is also a need to establish…
References
Alzheimer’s Association. (2015). 2015 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 11(3), 332-384. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2015.02.003.
Bali, P., Lahiri, D., Banik, A., Nehru, B., & Anand, A. (2017). Potential for Stem Cells Therapy in Alzheimer’s Disease: Do Neurotrophic Factors Play Critical Role? Current Alzheimer Research, 14(2), 208-220. doi:10.2174/1567205013666160314145347
Goodarzi, P., Aghayan, H. R., Larijani, B., Soleimani, M., Dehpour, A. R., Sahebjam, M., … Arjmand, B. (2015). Stem cell-based approach for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 29, 168.
Herberts, C. A., Kwa, M. S., & Hermsen, H. P. (2011). Risk factors in the development of stem cell therapy. Journal of Translational Medicine, 9(1). doi:10.1186/1479-5876-9-29
Hwang, S., Gill, S., Pathak, S., & Subramanian, S. (2018, March 30). A Comparison of Stem Cell Therapies for Parkinson Disease | Published in Georgetown Medical Review. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://gmr.scholasticahq.com/article/3420-a-comparison-of-stem-cell-therapies-for-parkinson-disease
Railton, D. (2019, February 18). Stem cells: Therapy, controversy, and research. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/200904.php
The Research Journal. (2017, September 20). Alzheimer's and Parkinson's - the current state of research. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://www.pasteur.fr/en/research-journal/reports/alzheimer-s-and-parkinson-s-current-state-research
Study Document
but, Cuomo continued, Bush's position "…remains a minority view" (Hurlbut, 822). Christine Todd Whitman, who served Bush as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in Bush's first term (she served from January 2001 to May 2003), and was the first female governor of New Jersey, supported embryonic stem cell research. Whitman noted in her book that right after Bush was re-elected in 2004, Christian conservative organizer Phil Burress was heard
Study Document
In the words of Obama, "Today, with the executive order I am about to sign, we will bring the change that so many scientists and researchers, doctors and innovators, patients and loved ones have hoped for, and fought for, these past eight years: We will lift the ban on federal funding for promising embryonic stem cell research," President Obama further said. "We will vigorously support scientists who pursue this
Study Document
References Condic, M.L. (2007, January). What We Know about Embryonic Stem Cells. First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life 25+. Patel, K., & Rushefsky, M. (2005). President Bush and Stem Cell Policy: The Politics of Policy Making. White House Studies, 5(1), 37+. Pickrell, J. (2006, September). "Instant Expert: Stem Cells." NewScientist.com news service. Retrieved on March 4, 2007 at http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/stem-cells/dn9982 Shapiro, R.S. (2006). Bioethics and the Stem Cell Research Debate. Social
Study Document
Scientists have been aware of the existence of these stem cells for many years but have only recently realized the potential medical applications of the cells. More than a decade ago, scientists discovered that if the normal connections between the early cellular progeny of the fertilized egg were disrupted, the cells would fall apart into a single cell progeny that could be maintained in a culture. These dissociated cells, otherwise
Study Document
Introduction
According to statistics, almost everybody today is affected by cancer either directly or indirectly, and everybody knows someone who is suffering from cancer, diabetes, or Alzheimer disease. How about if it was possible to successfully treat these diseases and save lives of our loved ones? Yes, it is now possible as medical researchers have found out a way to solve these medical conditions. The solution lies with stem cell
Study Document
" He argues that it is wrong to use these embryos even though they will just be discarded and wasted anyway. For this reason, people with grave diseases and disabilities argue that Bush needs to change his stance. CONCLUSION Stem cell research is incredibly important and should be fully examined so that we can do as much as possible to find cures and alleviate human suffering (Feinstein, 2004). It is important that