Comment Re:Wouldn't the new cells have the same diseases? (Score 2) 40
I'm unclear as to why the new cells wouldn't be subject to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Wouldn't they just get the same diseases as the existing cells? Same genetics and environment should lead to the same result.
Both diseases often overcome a patient later in life, leading us to believe the degenerative effects might be forestalled further by the introduction of healthy young nerve cells.
It seems like this would be more helpful for trauma treatments where the neurological damage was caused by an event that will not be repeated.
It is helpful for the study of all human neurological problems, as human neural cells are difficult to acquire for research purposes. FTA: most research is done with a line of rat neural cells.