Neurodegenrative Diseases and Stem Cells Therapy: "Alzheimer's Disease"

Neurodegeneration is the umbrella term for the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of neurons. Many neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s occur as a result of neurodegenerative processes.

Alzheimer's Disease and Stem Cell Therapy:

Alzheimer's disease is characterised by loss of neurons and synapses in the cerebral cortex and certain subcortical regions. This loss results in gross atrophy of the affected regions, including degeneration in the temporal lobe and parietal lobe, and parts of the frontal cortex and cingulate gyrus
Alzheimer's disease has been identified as a protein misfolding disease (proteopathy), caused by accumulation of abnormally folded A-beta and tau proteins in the brain. Plaques are made up of small peptides, 39–43 amino acids in length, called beta-amyloid (also written as A-beta or Aβ). Beta-amyloid is a fragment from a larger protein called amyloid precursor protein (APP), a transmembrane protein that penetrates through the neuron's membrane. APP is critical to neuron growth, survival and post-injury repair. In Alzheimer's disease, an unknown process causes APP to be divided into smaller fragments by enzymes through proteolysis.One of these fragments gives rise to fibrils of beta-amyloid, which form clumps that deposit outside neurons in dense formations known as senile plaques.

• Stem cell research does offer hope for a number of diseases including Alzheimer's. Treatment success will depend on a number of factors, among them:
• The ability to understand more about normal cell development
• The ability to correct errors and damage to diseased and abnormal cells
• The ability to understand the process by which stem cells transform into other cell types
• The ability to make sure any stem cell treatments are safe
We have to find out the cause and processes by which Alzheimer's affects the brain and neurological system. At present the cause and progress of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood. Whether stem cell treatment will be able to target Alzheimer's primary cause or if, (and more difficult) it can treat more global disease with a more diffuse pattern of damage is the unknown factor in treating Alzheimer's