News Neuroscience

Early Parkinson’s trials revive stem cells as a possible treatment

In two small clinical trials, stem cell therapies caused no apparent trouble in the brain

Vials of dopamine progenitor cells showing frozen cells that could be used for Parkinson's treatment

Injections of cells (shown here frozen in vials) may help restore missing nerve cells in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease.

Mark Tomishima

By Laura Sanders

Two small clinical trials revive hope for an old idea: Cells injected into the brain might replace the nerve cells that die in Parkinson’s disease. The studies, published April 16 in Nature, represent early steps for stem cell therapies that aim to replace these dead cells in the brain — and stop Parkinson’s and the movement problems, tremors and rigidity that it brings.