Overcoming Methodological Challenges for Advancing Stem Cell Therapies in Parkinson's Disease

• Published in: Cell transplantation Vol. 33; p. 9636897241246355
• Main Authors: Polgar, Stephen, Finkelstein, David I, Karimi, Leila
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SAGE Publishing 01.01.2024
• Subjects: treatment algorithm; methodological challenges; sham surgery; stem cell therapy; Parkinson’s disease
• ISSN: 0963-6897; 1555-3892
• DOI: 10.1177/09636897241246355

The quest for new and improved therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD) remains of paramount importance, despite previous trial failures. There is a current debate regarding the potential of stem cell research as a therapeutic approach for PD. The studies of dopaminergic fetal stem cells for PD treatment, their design, and the results of the initial surgical placebo-controlled trials were reviewed in this study. Some of the fundamental methodological challenges and possible strategies to resolve them were proposed. In this article, we argue that the most important impact lies in the proof-of-principle demonstrated by clinical trials for cell replacement strategies in reconstructing the human brain. While some researchers argue that the considerable technical challenges associated with cell therapies for PD warrant the discontinuation of further development using stem cells, we believe that the opposing viewpoints are instrumental in identifying a series of methodological misunderstandings. Here, we propose to expose key challenges to ensure the advancement of the field and unlock the potential of stem cell therapies in PD treatment. Overall, this review underscores the need for further research and innovation to overcome the hurdles in realizing the potential of stem cell-based therapies for PD.