Stem cells act through multiple mechanisms to benefit mice with neurodegenerative disease

This is a very interesting article describing a study done on mice with the neurological disorder Sandhoff's disease (similar to Tay-sachs). It is a form of neuronal lysosomal storage diesases
in which the brain cannot process lipids in the correct way.
The study found that using stem cells (either embryonic or adult) in combination with drugs significantly offset symptoms of the disease and greatly increased the lifespan of the diseased mice. Moreover, the study proved without a doubt that the stem cells were replacing damaged neurons and transmitting electrical signals. The researchers were able to show a level of integration that had not been previously shown in stem cells. While the stem cells would integrate into the system, it was the drugs that reduced the amount of material the cells would need to metabolize that made the difference. Either treatment alone produced inferior results compared to the combination of the drugs.
This article opens the door for many possibilities in stem cell treatment, especially neurological disorders, many of which have no treatment currently.

http://www.burnham.org/default.asp?contentID=422