Parkinson's Disease: Progress and Promise in Stem Cell Research

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly a million people in the United States. The symptoms include tremors, slow movement, muscle rigidity and less facial expression. No cure exists for the disease and current medications become less effective over time. William Langston, CEO and scientific director of the Parkinson's Institute, discusses stem cell-based research strategies to better understand the disease and to find new therapies. The Parkinson's Institute has an Early Translation grant from CIRM.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• parkinson's
• institute
• california
• regenerative
• medicine
• stem
• cells
• disease
• research
• early
• translation
• grant
• william
• langston
• sunnyvale
• medical
• substantia
• nigra
• neuron
• neurodegenerative
• prop
• 71
• ips
• induced
• pluripotent
• CIRM

[MissMysterics]

Out of interest can parkinsons have paralyzing or tremoring effect on organs?

I know people with parkinsons can end up paralyzed but I've never heard of anyone having a cardiac arrest or not being able to breath becuase of the disease.

[CIRMTV]

@MissMysterics Parkinson's disease (PD) does affect nerve signals (via the autonomic nervous system) to the heart and the gut and other systems but is not fatal from the data we have so far. These effects are actually observed well before the typical tremor symptoms. Based on one research study, a common cause of death from Parkinson's is pneumonia/bronchitis. Hope this helps.

[yeagers1]

do yall kill people to try to get this cells ?

[CIRMTV]

@yeagers1 The cells used to create reprogrammed stem cells (also called iPS cells) come from skin biopsies. Doctors remove a dime-sized patch of skin in a procedure that takes about 15 minutes.

[tenneildaniels]

Frank- your openness and honesty helps us all to understand this disease and hopefully find a cure- soon!

[WhiteEmerald1991]

someone i love dearly has the disease. i believe that poople with tremors should not be embarrased. And i do hope stem cell research is a future possible cure.

[christian101art]

My husband is crippled with Parkinson's Disease. He is a Vietnam Era Veteran, Honorable. We have experenced US Veterans Hospital abuse. Who do we turn to, to get the message to the public? My husband laid 5 hrs in his own FECES & URINE at a US VA hosp. How can our country allow this to happen? Ignored by US Veterans Admin, This issue is ignored by US Govnt officials, pres obama and VA Adnin. Thanks, K Carter, Wife/caregiver of Mr. LE.Carter, Fort Smith AR

[1990shahid]

if a person in there 30s gets parkinsons, does that mean they would have a shorter life then someone without it.

[JohnOnik3]

Very thought provoking, the scientific part. I hope we find a legit solution for this disease soon.

[Hard2theXcore]

Sweet old guy. :)

hes got a big heart.

[syfygeek43]

It's called entropy

Look it up kids

[jfabproductions]

I my grandpa has this, he used to be the kinda guy that everyone knew around town and loved, but now he just sits at home to embaressed to go outside because of his tremors

[Lakeva13]

It's extremely sad that the elderly have to go through so many untreatable diseases. I feel that there IS a cure for Parkinson's Disease, just like there is for so many other things, but it probably is extremely expensive for the average family to be able to afford. Even the alternatives that are supposed to help stabalize the disease are turning out to worsen the disease which is not helpful at all. I feel there is something that can be done and needs to be done!

[Aleqism]

Increase awareness of Parkinson's to general population and help raise funds for the Michael J. Fox Foundation through 240 mile bike ride from Marshfield to Madison.

Go on Facebook and search "Pedal Past Parkinson's 2011" Like it and spread the word!

[JohnnyBoyCali]

They never make drugs to cure anything. They only make drugs which you take for the rest of your life and keep their profits going.