Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suffering From Huntington's Chorea. Will It Be Cured By Stemcell Therapy?
Question: My nephew 21 years old is suffering from Huntingtons chorea. Is stemcell therapy a cure for that. If so wherein India it can be done?
Hello. I'm Dr. Christensen.
I'm sorry your niece is having problems. (I noticed you listed the patient's gender as female, and the attached lab report pertained to a female as well.) As of this date, there is no cure for Huntington's disease (HD). To my knowledge, stem cells aren't being used anywhere in the world for treating HD in humans. Several exciting studies published earlier this year suggest that stem cells may one day be used for this purpose: a line of human stem cells that corrects the HD genetic defect has been developed, and this cell line has been used to restore normal movement in mice affected by a Huntington's-like condition. Unfortunately, though, it could be several years before this cell line is used to treat HD in humans.
Some of the more compelling research pertaining to this issue has been performed at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA (USA), The Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, CA (USA) and the Department of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology at Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China).
I hope that answers your question, and I hope your niece does well. I'll be available if you have additional concerns.
I'm sorry your niece is having problems. (I noticed you listed the patient's gender as female, and the attached lab report pertained to a female as well.) As of this date, there is no cure for Huntington's disease (HD). To my knowledge, stem cells aren't being used anywhere in the world for treating HD in humans. Several exciting studies published earlier this year suggest that stem cells may one day be used for this purpose: a line of human stem cells that corrects the HD genetic defect has been developed, and this cell line has been used to restore normal movement in mice affected by a Huntington's-like condition. Unfortunately, though, it could be several years before this cell line is used to treat HD in humans.
Some of the more compelling research pertaining to this issue has been performed at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA (USA), The Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, CA (USA) and the Department of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology at Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University (China).
I hope that answers your question, and I hope your niece does well. I'll be available if you have additional concerns.
Note: For detailed guidance on genetic screening consult a genetics specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
