Human Striatum Remodelling after Neurotransplantation in Huntington's Disease

We demonstrated some developmental steps accomplished by progenitor cells in the brain of a HD patient and analyzes the molecular asset of the human primordium. MRI showed that grafted material grew and joined to constitute a single tissue mass that remodeled basal ganglia anatomy and remained stable in size over time. PET demonstrated increased striatal and stable cortical metabolism. Unified HD rating scale assessments demonstrated improvement of motor performances, which faded over the 36-month follow-up. Cognitive performance tended to decrease at a lower rate with regard to pre-transplantation. The study suggests the plasticity and reparative potential of un-manipulated primordium.