Huntington's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Huntington's Disease, including details on genetics, causes, symptoms, treatment.

Positron emission tomography after fetal transplantation in Huntington's disease.

Furtado S, Sossi V, Hauser RA, Samii A, Schulzer M, Murphy CB, Freeman TB, Stoessl AJ

Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive disorder with no known cure. We report two-year postoperative positron emission tomography (PET) data from 7 HD patients who underwent intrastriatal fetal transplantation. Patients showed widespread reductions in glucose uptake with no significant change over 2 years. Dopamine receptor binding was significantly reduced in HD striatum. D1 binding did not change significantly following transplantation, but there was a significant loss of D2 binding. These findings may reflect loss of graft viability and/or disease progression. There was no significant relationship between changes in PET and clinical function. In summary, there was no benefit from transplantation.

Published 2 August 2005 in Ann Neurol, 58(2): 331-7.
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