Human stem cell research becomes more extensive, as it aids scientists in the evaluation of experimental drugs for Alzheimer's disease.
A group of scientists from University of California, spearheaded by Dr. Shauna Yuan, utlized stem cells, which have the ability to differentiate into various specialized cell types, to yield neurons with charateristics similar to those in people with Alzheimer's disease, according to Wall Street Journal.
Following the creation of the specialized cells, the scientists use two trial drugs, one of which had been formerly withdrawn in a clinical study because it appeared to worsen the symptoms of the disease process.
Upon testing the neurological agents on the neurons derived from stem-cells, the scientists found out that for some people with specific genetic alteration, the dosage administered in the clinical trial had no effect on the symptomatology of the disease.
With the power of the stem-cell derived neurons to demonstrate the effects of the Alzheimer medications in an "in vitro" set-up, researchers had been able to quickly figure out compounds that should not be put forward for further development and testing in clinical trials.
According to the research findings, the utilization of neurons from stem cells also enabled the team to determine accurate doses of medications for people in clinical trials. This suggests that the use of stem cell neurons may benefit the field of clinical research, since time, effort, and money are saved while life of patients with Alzheimer's disease are preserved.
Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases, according to Alzheimer's Association. The condition is a type of demential that involves problems in cognition, memory, and behavior. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease usually have gradual development, but worsens overtime, enough to affect activities of daily living.
For the time being, the use of human stem cell model for clinical trials on Alzheimer's disease is viewed as ten times cheaper and faster, as compared to using animal models and other methods.