Stem cell therapies and Alzheimer’s disease
used as a gene-editing tool in humans, potentially deleting any genes that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. 56
Overall, the situation is not bleak. With a change of attitude, more funding, and more trials, a treatment that delays the onset of AD could be fast approaching. If AD could be delayed by only one year, there would be 9 million fewer people with the disease by 2050. 57 ‘Alzheimer’s will yield to science and reason; it will one day be as treatable as diabetes and HIV. The choice in front of us is how many generations we are willing to lose before that day comes ’ . 58 A century ago, there was no cure or treatment for diabetes, but with the recent creation of synthetic human insulin from genetically engineered bacteria, diabetes is no longer as threatening as it once was. Stem cells may not be the most efficient option for a cure but are a very promising option, and we should be excited in the next 10 or so years with continued research. Moreover, stem cells can be helpful in other ways, such as modelling AD pathology and understanding the development of neurons. If neural stem cells become more readily available, can be processed quickly, and wire themselves into existing neuron networks, they undoubtedly could become a source of relieving treatment. They may not completely cure the disease but could slow cognitive decline and give patients an improved quality of life, a significant improvement from the treatments offered today.
Appendix
Figure 1: Population Pyramids, 1966, 2016, 2066, UK. An increased number of men and women are living for longer on average. (Office for National Statistics, 2018)
56 Jebelli 2017a: 237. 57 Ibid.: 234. 58 Jebelli 2017b.
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