A new study which appeared in an issue of Rejuvenation Research found that intranasally administered stem cells can significantly contribute to the improvement of motor function in Parkinson’s disease.
The study was conducted by researchers at Alzheimer’s Research Center, in collaboration with University Hospital of Tubingen.
The study used a rat model of Parkinson’s and it was reported that intranasally administered stem cells have a longer survival period in the brain of at least 6 months.
Furthermore, the stem cells administered intranasally had a rapid preferential migration to the regions of the brain that were affected and damaged by Parkinson’s disease. The findings also showed that motor control improved significantly when stem cells are delivered intranasally. This method of administering stem cells to the brain is a non-invasive procedure.
Aside from becoming a promising option for effective delivery of stem cells to the brain, this new method is also opening the doors for further developments in chronic stem cell treatment that can significantly deliver more stem cells to the brain and enhance the therapeutic benefits of this method. This alternative to current surgical procedures provides high hopes in the quest for further advancements in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and improvement in motor control.