Stem cells bring back feeling for paralysed patients

[kpete]

Source: New Scientist

Stem cells bring back feeling for paralysed patients

14:38 03 September 2012 by Andy Coghlan

For the first time, people with broken spines have recovered feeling in previously paralysed areas after receiving injections of neural stem cells.

Three people with paralysis received injections of 20 million neural stem cells directly into the injured region of their spinal cord. The cells, acquired from donated fetal brain tissue, were injected between four and eight months after the injuries happened. The patients also received a temporary course of immunosuppressive drugs to limit rejection of the cells.

None of the three felt any sensation below their nipples before the treatment. Six months after therapy, two of them had sensations of touch and heat between their chest and belly button. The third patient has not seen any change.

"The fact we've seen responses to light touch, heat and electrical impulses so far down in two of the patients is very unexpected," says Stephen Huhn of StemCells, the company in Newark, California, developing and testing the treatment. "They're really close to normal in those areas now in their sensitivity," he adds.

Read more: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22235-stem-cells-bring-back-feeling-for-paralysed-patients.htmland

[Zoeisright]

1. Just think where we'd be in medicine if

it wasn't for repukes blocking research?

[Yo_Mama]

10. Research isn't actually blocked

There are various rules and regulations, but the bottom line is that stem cells are available.

The block for embryonic stem cells from other donors has been bad results - cancer and other diseases. That's slowed a lot of this research. Autologous (self-to-self) and adult stem cell transplants have shown promise.

About the different types of stem cells:
http://www.cirm.ca.gov/StemCellBasics_Definitions

It seems as if the treatment described used a line which is technically an adult stem cell. Since they are already differentiated, they are definitely not embryonic stem cells. There is no shortage of such cells, because there are plenty of fetuses.

This explains a little more with plenty of other links:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=embryonic-stem-cells-cause-cancer-i-2009-02-19

Recently there appears to be some promise using only neuronal stem cells. Here's some info on companies working on this:
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/428532/human-stem-cells-found-to-restore-memory/

The Batten trial didn't work in that it didn't correct the disease, but as far as anyone can tell it also didn't generate the feared cancers. But those can take years to show up, so this will be a long process.

There may well be a difference between embryonic (pluripotent) stem cells and already-differentiated fetal stem cells when it comes to cancer:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120323205508.htm

Also recently scientists have discovered how to regress adult stem cells to a pluripotent form, and it seems like those are not causing cancer, although of course years of followup are needed to be sure, and doubts persist:
http://hematopoiesis.info/2009/02/21/potential-risk-of-tumor-formation-from-adult-stem-cell-therapy-could-be-underestimated/

This is a new field of research and no one really knows how it will turn out.

[valerief]

2. If treatment like that is going to keep rich people from getting richer, you

can be sure Congress will ban it.

[drm604]

9. Rich people sometimes get paralyzed.

You'd think they'd support it for that reason alone.

The problem is that they're catering to religious fundamentalists in order to get votes.

[valerief]

11. Oh, rich people can get all the stem cell stuff they want.

They'll just keep it from most of the world, so they don't hurt their bottom line.

[LongTomH]

3. Christopher Reeve hoped for a development like this!

Sadly, it didn't come in time for him.

[ck4829]

4. Paralyzed people regaining feeling? The horror! The evil! The abomination!

[mopinko]

5. i still wonder how this got banned. surely the pentagon cant wait

to be able to patch up soldiers, and kick they off disability. right?

[Ezlivin]

6. Raise your hand if you've heard this one before

I was paralyzed (T-4 complete) in 1980.

It seems like every year there's a "cure" right around the corner. Since 1980 I've said that the "cure will be next year" and I've never been wrong.

Oh how I wish during the last 30+ years that one of the many exciting discoveries touted to be the next cure actually was. People with SCI (spinal cord injuries) were heading off to Mexico and the Soviet Union in the 80s to try treatments not available in the U.S. None of the treatments proved successful and some were actually dangerous.

While it would be great to regain feeling (particularly if bowel and/or bladder sensation and control returns), after many years in a chair a person has to deal with osteoporosis, muscle wastage and strictures. So it's not just a matter of regaining sensation. And it's possible to regain feeling that's only pain. Then the pain has to be managed.

Don't get me wrong: I'd love to regain feeling and I'd take my chances with the return of pain. Let's check back on this current research in a couple of years and see if it progressed beyond the lab.

The cure will be next year!

[riderinthestorm]

8. Aw damn EZ. I can't imagine the roller coaster of hopes raised (and dashed)

Honestly, I DO have high hopes for stem cells. I would love to see paralysis "cured" in our lifetime...

[cstanleytech]

7. Promising but I am wondering whats to stop the cells from becoming cancerous exactly?