Brain stem cell transplant

Consider this : If the kidneys stop functioning, we can go in for a kidney transplant, if the liver degenerates, there's liver tissue transplant. Corneal transplant, Pancreatic transplant, Lung transplant, Thymus transplant and so on the list goes. Now the question that one might ask is: Can we go in for brain transplant? Can we treat or control the neurodegenerative diseases by simply injecting in new brain cells?

The answer to this question is neither “yes” nor “no”, but “could be”. Yes it could be possible and presently the scientists are trying hard to change the “could be” to “yes”. The brain stem cell transplant is the newest possible strategy to treat neurodegenerative disorders wherein stem cells are transplanted into the brain that prevent the existing nerve cells from dying.

According to a recent report co-authored by several international research groups and led by Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (2010), the mechanism by which these injected brain cells prevent the existing brain from dying is by quickly establishing direct channels called gap junctions to the diseased or threatened nerve cells. These gap junctions allow molecular signals to pass back and forth between the transplanted brain cell and the host brain cell and thus prevent the latter from dying out.

So far, 400 Multiple Sclerosis patients worldwide have shown signs of recovery by this method. A landmark in this area was on Oct 20^th, 2005 when the FDA approved the first brain stem cell transplant on six Children suffering from Batten Disease, a rare genetic neurodegenerative disorder. Right now, intensive research is on to make Brain stem Cell Transplant, a safe and acceptable mode of treatment.

So far so good. 

Now looking at the other side, a report published in Nature claims that unregulated brain stem cell transplant can cause brain tumours. Also a research team of MIT, recently claimed that Brain Stem Cell Transplants are more complicated than previously thought because the adult stem cells found in the brain are pre-programmed to make only certain kinds of connections making it impossible for a brain neural cell to be transplanted to the other parts of the brain or spinal cord.

Well, the case for brain stem cell transplant may not be very strong but certainly progress is going on. We hope that one day brain stem cell transplant does become a reality and help to treat millions worldwide suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, brain damage or stroke.