Stem transplant a possible cure for Parkinson

The patient 54-year-old Bhanwarlal Jain was suffering from advanced Parkinson’s disease for the past seven years. Under medication his condition was worsening, and the brain degenerative disease affecting his walking, talking and everyday activities.

“I was working then but had to quit due to spondilitis and severe pain in the joints. Slowly, I stopped walking and almost became dumb,” said Jain.

The first clinical trail
In February, Jain volunteered to undertake in the world’s first clinical trail to evaluate the affect of stem transplant on the debilitating disease in spite of reservations.

"When I heard I was going to be the first human to be treated using stem cell transplant, I was excited and scared. I had told my family that I may never return," said Jain.

The complex procedure
The complex eight-hour-long procedure was conducted on August 8 by a team of doctors, including neurosurgeons and neurophysicians. The bone marrow was taken from his hip bone and processed for about three weeks at Reliance Life Sciences.

Dr. Paresh Doshi, head of the stereotactic and functional neurosurgery department at Jaslok Hospital who led the team stated, "We chose the stem cells from the marrow of the patient's hip bone as these cells are readily isolated. They can expand in culture and the body can accept them easily. Small quantities of these cells were injected at an interval of every 1mm in his brain."

Giving some insight into the procedure Doshi stated that, "Neural transplant is the only procedure that can restore the normal functions like speech, motor activities. Also, the cells are from patient's own bone marrow so there are no chances of rejection."

Jain under observation
The doctor shall closely monitor the patients condition for 18 months before pronouncing it as a success. Meanwhile, Jain is exhibiting signs of improvement, and has regained his voice after the stem transplant.

Neurosurgeons skeptical
However, some neurosurgeons have doubts about the effectiveness of the stem transplant. Dr. Milind Sankhe from Hinduja Hospital in Mahim said, "There is no material or evidence present anywhere which suggests a stem cell transplant can cure Parkinson's. Moreover, it will be tough to prove it is the stem cells which are responsible for the improvement in the patient."

Also Atul Goel, neurosurgeon at KEM hospital declared, "Stem cell transplantation is a complex procedure. The cells have to be taken from the body, cultured in a lab, inserted in some other part of the body and then they can enter the normal functioning of the body. It can't be done in 10 days. Moreover, there is no scientific proof or literature explaining that Parkinson's can be cured this way."