New therapeutic approaches to Parkinson's disease including neural transplants

Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2005 Sep;19(3):155-81. doi: 10.1177/1545968305277219.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder of the brain and typically presents with a disorder of movement. The core pathological event underlying the condition is the loss of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway with the formation of alpha-synuclein positive Lewy bodies. As a result, drugs that target the degenerating dopaminergic network within the brain work well at least in the early stages of the disease. Unfortunately, with time these therapies fail and produce their own unique side-effect profile, and this, coupled with the more diffuse pathological and clinical findings in advancing disease, has led to a search for more effective therapies. In this review, the authors will briefly discuss the emerging new drug therapies in PD before concentrating on a more detailed discussion on the state of cell therapies to cure PD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiparkinson Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antiparkinson Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain Tissue Transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Neural Pathways / physiopathology
  • Neurons / transplantation*
  • Neurosurgical Procedures
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology
  • Parkinson Disease / therapy*
  • Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Substantia Nigra / drug effects
  • Substantia Nigra / metabolism
  • Substantia Nigra / physiopathology

Substances

  • Antiparkinson Agents