Development of skin stem cells of Parkinson's patients

British scientists have for the first time created skin stem cells from people with Parkinson's disease - common tremor in the elderly.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh and the University of London created brain neurons from the skin pieces of a person with Parkinson's disease that progressed rapidly and could be diagnosed in patients in their mid-30s. This type of Parkinson's disease usually has a number of genes that produce a protein called double- synuclein , double that of a normal person. Although this type of disease is rare, alpha synuclein is associated with almost all forms of Parkinson's.

The invention could help scientists determine why some types of nerve cells in people with Parkinson's disease die. In addition, it makes it easier for them to test new drugs to slow or prevent the development of the disease. Current drugs are only capable of reducing symptoms of Parkinson's.