Neural stem cells transplanted into areas of brain damage in mice dramatically improved both motor and cognitive impairments associated with Lewy Body Dementia, according to a study from the University of California Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders. Their findings were published in the journal Stem Cell Reports in October 2015
Lewy body Dementia is the second-most common type of age-related dementia after Alzheimer’s disease and is characterized by the accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein that collects into masses called Lewy bodies. Lewy bodies are also known to accumulate in other neurologic disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. This pathology impairs the normal function of neurons, leading to alterations in critical brain chemicals and neuronal communication and eventually, to cell death.
In this study mouse neural stem cells were transplanted into genetically modified mice having many of the signs and symptoms of Lew Body Dementia. One month later, the mice were retested on a variety of behavioral tasks, and significant gains in both motor and cognitive function were observed. For example, these mice could run on a rotating rod for much longer and recognize novel objects far better than untreated mice.
The study examined the effects of the stem cells on brain cell dysfunction. They found that the improvements seen required the production of a specific growth factor called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by neural stem cells.
The team examined two of the key brain structures that become dysfunctional in Lew Body Dementia , dopamine and glutamate making neurons. Lead researcher Natalie Goldberg explained, “Our experiments revealed that neural stem cells can enhance the function of both dopamine and glutamate producing neurons, coaxing the brain cells to connect and communicate more appropriately. This, in turn, facilitates the recovery of both motor and cognitive function.”
Testing the possibility that BDNF alone might be an effective treatment, they studied the effect of delivering the growth factor directly into to the brains of Lewy Body Dementia mice.
it was found that this treatment resulted in good recovery of motor skills in the test rodents but only limited recovery of cognitive function. This, researcher Goldberg said, suggests that while BDNF is critical to stem cell-mediated motor and cognitive recovery, it does not achieve this outcome alone. It appears that other changes initiated by stem cells are also at play in the mechanisms by which stem cells create the improvements seen.
These results raise the hope that transplantation of BDNF-producing neural stem cells may offer a new approach for treating Lewy Body Dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Although stem cell therapy is currently not yet improved by the FDA for general medical use in the Untied States, the treatment is available to the public through practitioners utilizing IRB approved research protocols.
To learn more about Stem Cell Therapy please view the information available at
https://drsobo.com/regenerative-medicinestem-cells
For the best care in Integrative Medicine call Henry C. Sobo, M.D., at 203-348-8805 or write us at [email protected]