The following graphs shows the success of the transplantation of foetal tissue in the dying mid-brain region of two Parkinson’s patients (A and B) in advanced stages of the disease. Both show significantly improved motor skills and were able to discontinue Parkinson’s drugs completely 4 and 5 years after the transplantation!

The healing takes place comparatively slowly, but continuously, over many years. Both patients have a UPDRS motor score after 13 and 16 years respectively of a little over 10 (A) and a little under 10 (B). These are now only slight motor impairments which the lay person would not even notice!

Explanation of the figures:

• UPDRS motor score: describes the degree of motor impairment (the higher the figure, the worse the movement).
  E.g. Patient A with a score of around 40 (before transplantation) had serious motor problems.
• 18F-Dopa K: Measure for dopamine production and storage function in the central brain (higher value = better function).

(Source: Politis, M.; Lindvall, O.: Clinical application of stem cell therapy in Parkinson’s disease, BMC Medicine 2012, 10:1)

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