Fetal striatal allografts reverse cognitive deficits in a primate model of Huntington disease

S Palfi, F Condé, D Riche, E Brouillet, C Dautry… - Nature medicine, 1998 - nature.com
S Palfi, F Condé, D Riche, E Brouillet, C Dautry, V Mittoux, A Chibois, M Peschanski…
Nature medicine, 1998nature.com
Substitutive therapy using fetal striatal grafts in animal models of Huntington disease (HD)
have already demonstrated obvious beneficial effects on motor indices1. Using a new
phenotypic model of HD recently designed in primates2, 3, we demonstrate here complete
and persistent recovery in a frontal-type cognitive task two to five months after intrastriatal
allografting. The striatal allografts also reduce the occurence of dystonia, a major abnormal
movement associated with HD. These results show the capacity of fetal neurons to provide a …
Abstract
Substitutive therapy using fetal striatal grafts in animal models of Huntington disease (HD) have already demonstrated obvious beneficial effects on motor indices1. Using a new phenotypic model of HD recently designed in primates2,3, we demonstrate here complete and persistent recovery in a frontal-type cognitive task two to five months after intrastriatal allografting. The striatal allografts also reduce the occurence of dystonia, a major abnormal movement associated with HD. These results show the capacity of fetal neurons to provide a renewed substrate for both cognitive and motor systems in the lesioned adult brain. They also support the use of neural transplantation as a potential therapy for HD.
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