Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive movement disorder caused by loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which produce the chemical dopamine.
Book a consultationHow Parkinson’s Disease develops
With less dopamine, the brain circuits that control smooth, coordinated movement stop working properly. The reasons the cells are lost are not fully understood, and are thought to involve genetic and environmental factors, oxidative stress and inflammation. One cited review describes it as affecting roughly 0.3% of the general population.
Common signs and symptoms
- Tremor, often at rest and sometimes on one side first
- Slowness of movement and stiffness
- Balance problems and a shuffling walk
- Reduced facial expression and quiet speech
- Constipation, poor sleep, low mood, loss of smell
Standard medical care
- Levodopa and other dopamine-related medicines
- Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy
- Deep brain stimulation for selected people
- Regular review by a Parkinson’s specialist and nurse
Regenerative research
Research includes MSCs, cells coaxed to become dopamine-producing neurons, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Much of the evidence comes from animal models and early studies, and none of these approaches has replaced standard care. The cited sources call for larger, well-controlled trials.
Published research
Selected review articles and studies on regenerative approaches. Links open external sites, which are not controlled by Arkangel Clinic.
- Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease
- Mechanism of Action of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs): Impact of Delivery Method
- Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease Through Personalized Medicine and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
- Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Counteracting Oxidative Stress-Related Neurodegeneration
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease Animal Models
- Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease: Current Status and Future Prospects
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Source of Dopaminergic Neurons: A Potential Cell Based Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
Trusted patient information
Questions worth asking any clinic
- Is this treatment licensed, or part of a regulated clinical trial?
- What does the published evidence show, and what are the known risks?
- What would it cost, and what happens if it does not help?
- How will my own specialist or GP be kept informed?
