Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells in the Treatment of Parkinsons Disease: A Case Report

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD), a progressive disorder of the central nervous system, affects every 1 in 100 persons, aged around 70 in Europe. PD is characterized by abnormalities affecting both the motor system and the non-motor systems that include tremor, gait disorder, bradykinesia, depression, cognitive impairments, dysautonomia and sleep disturbances. Both surgical and drug treatments are available for the treatment of PD, but none has been able to halt the progression of the degenerative disease. We present the case of 65-year old male patient with PD who was treated with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The patient showed significant improvement in his health following the treatment; such as reduction in tremors, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulder and low back and improvement in the range of movements of the neck. The patient was able to balance himself while walking, had reduction in numbness in his left hand and both of his legs. He was able to speak louder and had improved writing skills. No adverse event or teratoma formation was observed. hESC therapy in our study showed beneficial effects in the patient with PD, but future clinical trials are needed to gather more evidence to support our findings.