A new stem cell treatment may offer hope for Parkinson's disease. Keck Medicine of USC is investigating a unique therapy that aims to repair damaged brain cells.
Friday, March 27, 2026 12:42AMA new stem cell treatment may offer hope for Parkinson's disease. Keck Medicine of USC is investigating a unique therapy that aims to repair damaged brain cells Four months after neurosurgeons implanted specialized stem cells into Elizabeth Mendoza's brain, she noticed a positive change in her Parkinson's disease symptoms.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impacts more than a million Americans. It can also cause muscle stiffness and affect balance and walking. Mendoza's tremors started in 2019. "The tremors occur when the limb is at rest," said Keck Medicine of USC neurologist and co-principal investigator, Dr. Xenos Mason. He said the risk for Parkinson's increases in those 60 or older, but doctors are finding it in younger people. Some studies suggest pesticides and pollution may play a role. "There is an increase in Parkinson's that we don't understand that is probably related to something in the environment over the last 30 or 40 years," he said."In Parkinson's disease when that dopamine is lost, movements are inhibited," said Mason. While medications help Mendoza make more dopamine, it doesn't slow the progression and can cause side effects.Now, she's one of the first patients nationwide to participate in an early-phase clinical trial investigating whether implanting specially-programmed stem cells can help the brain produce more dopamine naturally. "Introducing something that has more consistency or may even be more of a biologic behavior than a single dose of dopamine that you take through a pill can be more advantageous," said Mason. In the procedure, surgeons drilled a small hole in Elizabeth's skull to access the brain. Then, they implant the stem cells into the area that controls movement. "We're understanding how stem cells work in the brain. How they release dopamine, how they grow, how they integrate as we're doing these trials and studies," he said.But patients will be monitored for any changes in their Parkinson's disease symptoms and for possible side effects for up to five years."My tremors are a little less," she said."I would have never thought I would have stem cells injected into my brain, and here I am and I feel pretty good," she said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
U.S. Medicine, Science Facing An Online Misinformation Siege, Poll ConcludesAmericans are trapped in a ruthless social media spin cycle of viral misinformation regarding science and medicine, with many actively contributing to the problem, a new Harris Poll has found.
Read more »
DOJ eyeing civil rights investigation into Ohio State's College of MedicineThe Department of Justice is probing Ohio State for possible civil rights violation.
Read more »
Charity urges Gateshead trust to reinstate Parkinson's nursePeople living with Parkinson's disease urge a trust to reinstate a specialist service in Gateshead.
Read more »
Muhammad Ali's daughter pens children's book to answer questions about Parkinson's diseaseMuhammad Ali is widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all time and now his daughter Rasheda Ali is fighting to raise awareness about parkinson's disease.
Read more »
'Possible racial discrimination' investigation with admissions to OSU College of MedicineThe U.S. Department of Justice has begun an investigation into “possible racial discrimination” with admissions to The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Read more »
Trump administration demands UCSD School of Medicine admission dataThe New York Times broke the news Thursday that Trump's Justice Department sent UCSD, Stanford and The Ohio State University letters on Wednesday requiring the schools hand over admission data by April 24 or risk losing federal funding.
Read more »