Neural transplantation and restoration of motor behaviour in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Neurotransplantation has become one of the most fascinating and promising fields in developmental neuroscience in recent times. As there are no efficient therapeutic strategies to stop ongoing neurodegeneration as it takes place in, for example, Parkinson's disease (PD) or Huntington's disease (HD), the transplantation of neurons seems to be the only alternative therapy to drug-based treatment in order to rewire neuronal circuits. Other ablative (e.g. palliodotomy) or technical (e.g. deep-brain stimulation) neurosurgical approaches exist and can partially stop the neurological deterioration of the diseases. However, none of them (including the drug-based therapies) can prevent further progression of the neurodegenerative processes; they can only act as a symptomatic relief instead of a restorative tool to heal the diseases. That is why there is an urgent need for further development of cell replacement strategies, which have the potential not only to restore the lost neuronal pathways, but also to provide long-lasting beneficial effects for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.