Clinical considerations in Parkinson's disease cell therapy

Cell replacement therapy is an area of increasing interest for treating Parkinson's disease (PD). However, to become a clinically practical option for PD patients, it must first overcome significant barriers, including establishment of safe and standardized surgical procedures, determination of appropriate perioperative medication regimens, demonstration of long-term graft survival and incorporation, and standardized, clinically meaningful follow-up measures. In this review, we will describe the current status of cell therapy for PD with special attention to these critical requirements, to define guideposts on the road to bring the benefit of this therapy to the Parkinson's clinic.

Automated summary

Cell replacement therapy has potential in treating Parkinson's disease (PD), but it faces significant barriers before becoming a clinically practical option. These barriers include safe and standardized surgical procedures, appropriate perioperative medication regimens, long-term graft survival and incorporation, and standardized follow-up measures. This review provides an overview of the current status of cell therapy for PD, with a focus on these critical requirements, to guide its implementation in Parkinson's clinics.