Fetal homotransplants (ventral mesencephalon and adrenal tissue) to the striatum of parkinsonian subjects
I. Madrazo, R. Franco-Bourland, F. Ostrosky-Solis, M. Aguilera, C. Cuevas, C. Zamorano, A. Morelos, E. Magallon and G. Guizar-Sahagun
Department of Clinical Research in Neurology and Neurosurgery, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City.
Fetal ventral mesencephalon and fetal adrenal tissue grafted to the caudate
nucleus of four and three parkinsonian patients, respectively, have been
shown to be an alternative treatment for the amelioration of the signs of
the disease. The ventral mesencephalon patients had a significant
amelioration of rigidity, bradykinesia, postural imbalance, gait
disturbance, and facial expression. Three of these four patients have
returned to work. The fatal adrenal group only showed amelioration of
rigidity and bradykinesia. Though these patients are now able to perform
their basic daily living activities, and one of them has renewed her
household tasks, the other two have not yet been able to return to work.
The differences observed between the ventral mesencephalon- and the fetal
adrenal-transplanted patients may be related to the heterogeneity of their
disease and/or the type of graft implanted. However encouraging our results
may be, this experimental procedure obviously requires further studies, and
should not be practiced outside of highly qualified clinical research
centers.
