Stem Cell Research for Alzheimer’s
When former president Ronald Reagan was dying of Alzheimer’s disease, Nancy Reagan became interested in stem cell research and its potential for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
As a result, there has been a continuing growing voice of supporters on this issue.
Ronald Reagan’s death from Alzheimer’s disease increased the support for human embryonic stem cell research.
Many supporters of stem cell research believe that transplants show great potential for curing certain diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes.
Medical researchers believe that someday, embryo cell studies may lead to insights into Alzheimer’s.
Most proponents of stem cell research felt that if nothing else, stem cells bearing the genetic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s might help scientists assess the potential usefulness of new drugs.
However, few scientists feel there is a direct benefit for Alzheimer’s from stem cell therapy.
The overall consensus of scientists and researchers is that stem cell transplant therapy does not sound like a viable treatment for Alzheimer’s.
There is an obvious lack of genuine enthusiasm surrounding stem cell therapy as having any practical potential to treat Alzheimer’s.
This lack of enthusiasm could be because some scientists and researchers are totally opposed to stem cell research, so they offer negative comments about it.
The basis of stem cell research focuses on human embryonic stem cells that can clone themselves into any kind of tissue.
This amazing ability of these cells has led scientists to believe that these stem cells could be a “universal patch” to replace any injured or non-functioning organ.
There are some studies that have suggested, for example, that stem cells injected into an injured heart can spur the development of healthy new heart muscle.
Among the more promising targets of such “cellular therapies” would be Parkinson’s disease.
However, Parkinson’s disease affects only a small and specialized population of brain cells.
Another use for stem cell therapy might be Type-1 Diabetes, which is caused by the loss of discrete insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
The most promising use for stem cell therapy could be for spinal cord injuries in which a few crucial nerve cells die, such as the injury that paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve (Superman).
However, in the case of Alzheimer’s, the requirement for the recreation of brain cells is extremely complex.
Stem cell experts admit that there are diseases that may one day be cured by embryonic stem cell treatments, but these experts state that in their opinion, Alzheimer’s is among the least likely disease to benefit from this therapy.
These so-called experts can be viewed as opponents and not proponents.
Why would every possible advancement to treat and possibly cure a disease not be given as much support as possible?
