From: Rafal Smigrodzki (rms2g@virginia.edu)
Date: Fri Feb 07 2003 - 13:24:11 MST
Ian Reilly wrote:
> REGARDING PARKINSONS:
> Some of you may be interested to know that the Swedes treated a
> drug induced severe parkinsons type disorder with embryonic stem
> cells. The treatment was apparently successful, albeit extremely
> expensive. It involved injecting the dopamine producing stem cells
> into the region of the brain that is damaged by PD. The experimental
> treatment was done on some people from California. There was also a
> bit on the program about the severity of the side effects of Levadopa
> - apparently it is very nasty stuff - debilitating side effects are
> inevitable if the patient continues to take it.
### You might want to peruse some articles in "Neurology" over the past two
years, showing that stem cell implants are as yet a highly immature
technology, suitable strictly for research purposes due to major surgical
and other risks, as well as lack of clear evidence of sustained efficacy.
Levodopa does not have debilitating side effects. There is some orthostatic
hypotension, ankle swelling, sometimes visual hallucinations. Dyskinesias
are not so much a side-effect of levodopa as an effect of progression of the
disease.
Rafal
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