A Cure for Neurodegenerative Diseases: The Unparalleled Properties of Stem Cells

In my essay, I examine the functions of brain areas deteriorated by neurodegenerative diseases, examine the therapeutics to treat the symptoms of these diseases, then argue the theoretical benefits for using different varieties of stem cells to cure neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS, and other dementias and genetic disorders.

Neurodegenerative diseases are categorized as disorders that progressively degenerate the structure and function of the nervous system.

Alzheimer’s Disease destroys the hippocampus (new memories).

Parkinson’s Disease deteriorates the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia (fine motor movements).

Huntington’s Disease degenerates the putamen and caudate nucleus of the basal ganglia (voluntary movement).

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis degrades the motor cortex, the cingulate cortex, and the frontal lobe (coordination, emotional communication, pain perception, voluntary muscular movements).

As science and medicine advance, researchers have been investigating the use of many kinds of stem cells to combat the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Stem cells have the potential to replace and repair a variety of different types of cells in the body, but there are more than one kind — multipotent, pluripotent, and totipotent. Among these types of cells are Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) and Mesenchymal stem cells, which are being tested to treat ALS.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) are adult human tissue cells that, when modified, can develop into astrocytes — cells that support nerve cells. Mesenchymal stem cells are adult stem cells important for repairing skeletal tissue and can be modified from a patient’s own fat tissue or bone marrow. This modification allows the new cells to boost the patient’s ability to produce and develop cells which secrete molecules that support and protect nerve cells. Stem cells are being investigated for clinical uses by biotechnological companies like BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, and are currently in the early testing phases.

If there were a cure for neurodegeneration, it would likely not allow for the restoration of functions or memories as it would be new and “clean” matter replacing damaged matter. While this is not ideal, it would certainly be better than no cure at all. For an optimal cure, scientists must prompt stem cells to differentiate into specialized nerve cells. The mesenchymal stem cells that are in trials right now were thought to be multipotent — can differentiate into several but limited specializations.

Researchers have found a novel source to harvest stem cells from: menstrual blood. Healthy, fertile volunteers donate their menstrual blood, and the stem cells in the blood are similar to the mesenchymal cells — possessing highly proliferative and differentiative capabilities when subjected to specific conditions. Further research indicates these cells are actually pluripotent— able to differentiate into cells that are more specialized than multipotent. This new source is non-invasive and void of any ethical issues.

Although, even in theory it is difficult for a multipotent or pluripotent stem cell to differentiate into a specialized nerve cell given how intricate the nervous system is. To ensure a cure, scientists would have to extrapolate trials using totipotent stem cells. These cells can form into all cell types found in the human body as explained by Dr. Lola Reid, Dr. Ke Cheng, and her colleagues in their book Principles of Regenerative Medicine. Currently, the only place to obtain these cells is by fertilizing an ovum and then harvesting the cells — a process with some ongoing ethical questions.

Many therapeutics could be synthesized using multipotent or pluripotent stem cells, but a reliable cure could be made from totipotent stem cells, saving millions of lives by not simply prolonging them, but also improving cognitive function like memory, speech, attention span, awareness, and more. Assuming this can be done, biologists would harvest these cells within the first four days after conception, prompt them to differentiate into the specific type of nervous system cells that are degenerating in the patient, and manipulate them into a therapeutic to be injected into the patient. BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics’ procedure could then be used as a foundation for future stem cell injections. Keep in mind though, a truly efficacious cure has to be able to regenerate nervous system structures and halt the degeneration itself.