An explanation of stem cells and their potential to treat HD
What is the potential for using stem cells to treat HD?
Huntington’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the death of nerve cells in the striatum. (To learn more about the neurobiology behind HD, click here.) Until recently, it was believed that neurons in the adult human brain and spinal cord could not regenerate. Once dead, the neurons were thought to be gone for good. In the mid-1990s, however, researchers discovered that stem cells in the adult brain could give rise to new neurons and neural support cells. With their ability to regenerate and produce new nerve cells, neural stem cells might be able to replace or repair the cells that are destroyed by HD, thus restoring lost function.
In fact, researchers have already discovered how to coax embryonic and adult mouse stem cells to develop into neurons that produce a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid – the type of neurons that are mainly lost in HD.
More research could potentially lead to the following:
If these stem cells can produce nerve cells in the laboratory, they could be transplanted into the striatum to replace the lost nerve cells, or;
If the adult stem cells already present in the patient’s brain could be stimulated to produce more neurons, they might be able to “self-repair” the striatum.
Either way, further stem cell research could yield new treatments to HD given enough time, research, and luck.
Last Modified: 7-5-03
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