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Parkinson's patient moves freely again after world-first implant of
lab-grown cells into his brain
(HTM) Source
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Parkinson's patient Thomas Matsson was the first in the world to
receive 7 million lab-grown brain cells in 2023. Today, he can smell
and play sports.
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Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have successfully implanted 7
million lab-grown brain cells into a patient to treat Parkinson's
disease.
Swedish resident Thomas Matsson was the first in the world to test the
method about a year ago.
Matsson was diagnosed with Parkinson's when he was 42. For the last 17
years, he felt like he was walking through a syrup, he says.
"'Mister P,' the disease, would pull my neck one way when I was going
the other," said Matsson.
Today, Matsson recognises smells again and plays sports.
"The syrup is gone. I've got my 7 million cells and they are starting
to work now," said Matsson.
"I've reduced my medication for Parkinson's. Before, everything was
slow and everything was difficult," he added.
Matsson says he is hitting golf shots that he hasn't been able to hit
in 10 years.
"I do long-distance skating, slalom, cross-country skiing, padel
tennis, and, above all, golf," he said.
"To be able to skate when you've had Parkinson's for 20 years, not
many people do that I think. And then 28 days in Spain where I played
25 rounds in 28 days, you can't really do that when you're healthy
most of the time. Something happened. Something very good".
## How does it work?
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects
movement primarily due to the loss of cells that produce dopamine,
which helps transmit signals that control movement and coordination as
a neurotransmitter.
The cell therapy devised by researchers at Lund University involves
exposing stem cells from fertilised eggs - called embryonic stem cells
- to growth factors and signals they would normally receive during
embryo development to direct them to become immature dopamine cells.
The cells are then implanted into a 4 mm area in the centre of the
patient's brain, closest to the brain stem to replace the dopamine
cells Parkinson's patients have lost.
After a few months, they start sending out nerve fibres and producing
dopamine.
"The vision is that it could be given as a one-time treatment and the
hope is that the patients can reduce their medication, avoid side
effects of the drug treatment and get a long-term good motor effect
from the cells for life," Gesine Paul-Visse, a senior physician in
neurology at Skåne University Hospital and adjunct professor at Lund
University, told Swedish broadcast SVT in 2023 when the first trials
started.
Matsson did not feel well immediately when he woke up from the 13-hour
procedure. He suffered a psychosis for 10 days.
"Among other things, I escaped from the ward twice. The second time it
was the police who drove me back. It's not something I want to
experience again. Absolutely not," Matsson said.
Whether it was an effect of the long exposure to anaesthesia or
whether it had to do with his brain adjusting to the new brain cells
is unknown.
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## Risk of brain tumours forming
So far, five subjects have undergone surgery using the researchers'
lab-grown cells.
Soon three additional patients will receive a double dose, with 14
million brain cells each.
"There's always a theoretical risk of tumours forming, which is likely
to increase if you have a higher number of implanted brain cells,"
Paul-Visse said.
"Then there is a risk of over-medication, that you produce too much
dopamine in the brain. I think this risk is extremely low," she added.
If all goes well with the first eight patients, the research team will
continue with larger studies in collaboration with a pharmaceutical
company.
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"The interest from patients has been incredible. There are even
patients living abroad who would have liked to move to Sweden to
participate in this study. And we had to inform all patients that the
recruitment for this study was closed," said Paul-Visse.
Matsson says he is 110 per cent certain that the research team will
succeed.
"I am absolutely convinced, 110 per cent! And I hope that these
scientists will eventually get their just rewards," he added.
The hope is that the cultured cells will be available as a medicine
worldwide in seven to ten years.
"There is absolutely hope. Absolutely there is!" said Paul-Visse as a
message to people living with Parkinson's disease.
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**For more on this story, watch the video in the media player
above.**
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