Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice
Published on: March 11, 2020
Neuronal degeneration in striatal transplants and Huntington's disease: potential mechanisms and clinical
Francesca Cicchetti1, Denis Soulet, Thomas B Freeman
1Centre de Recherche du CHUL (CHUQ), Axe Neurosciences, RC-9800, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC, G1V 4G2, Canada. francesca.cicchetti@crchul.ulaval.ca
Abstract:
Cell therapy offers the possibility of replacing degenerated neurons thereby improving the symptoms of neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease. However, clinical benefits in patients with Huntington's disease, if any, have been transient and modest. Grafts survived well at 18 months in one patient with Huntington's disease, but graft survival was markedly attenuated by 10 years in three other patients from this transplantation cohort. It is critical to delineate the causes of graft degeneration if such therapies will be utilized in patients with a goal of achieving meaningful clinical benefit. Similar challenges may also accrue to future stem cell therapies. Here we discuss the potential causes of suboptimal long-term graft survival in patients with Huntington's disease, including allograft immunoreactivity, microglial responses targeted to grafted cells and cell-to-cell neurotoxicity. We also discuss similar challenges and unique differences comparing neuronal grafts in patients with Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.
Related Concept Videos
Huntington Disease l: Introduction
Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Parkinson's Disease: Overview
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Neural Regulation
