Human stem cells treat Parkinson's in monkeys

A single injection of neural stem cells has markedly improved the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in monkeys, paving the way for stem-cell therapies in humans with the condition.Richard Sidman at the Harvard Institutes of Medicine in Boston, US, and colleagues recreated the symptoms of Parkinson's in African green monkeys by injecting them with a chemical that damages neurons that make dopamine - a neurotransmitter vital for controlling movement.They then injected the monkeys' brains with neural stem cells taken from human fetuses that had been miscarried at 13 weeks. A month later, the monkeys showed marked recoveries."They could stand, walk, feed themselves, and had regained independent living," says Sidman.Temporary benefits...