BRAZIL: BRAZILIAN SCIENTISTS SAY THEY CAN RESTORE FEELING IN PARALYZED PATIENTS LIMBS THROUGH STEM CELL TRANFUSIONS
Record ID:
647620
BRAZIL: BRAZILIAN SCIENTISTS SAY THEY CAN RESTORE FEELING IN PARALYZED PATIENTS LIMBS THROUGH STEM CELL TRANFUSIONS
- Title: BRAZIL: BRAZILIAN SCIENTISTS SAY THEY CAN RESTORE FEELING IN PARALYZED PATIENTS LIMBS THROUGH STEM CELL TRANFUSIONS
- Date: 26th June 2004
- Summary: (U7)SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE IN SAO PAULO 0.02 2. VARIOUS OF PATIENTS IN ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE ON CRUTCHES/ WHEELCHAIRS 0.21 3. SCU DOCTOR TARCISIO BARROS 0.24 4. VARIOUS OF COMPUTER IMAGES OF STEM CELLS 0.32 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) DOCTOR TARCISIO BARROS SAYING: "These are thirty people who have each been suffering from a spinal lesion for at least two years. And those lesions are considered complete, in that there has been no transmission of motor-sensitive impulses between the lower limbs and the brain." 0.35 6. COMPUTER IMAGE OF CONNECTION BETWEEN ORGANS 0.40 7. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE LEAD RESEARCHER DOCTOR TARCISIO BARROS SAYING: "The stem cells were taken from these people, from their own cells. Then, the cells were injected into the artery where the spinal lesions were." 0.59 8. VARIOUS OF STEM CELLS BEING DEPOSITED 1.05 9. VARIOUS OF DOCTOR SPEAKING AS ABOVE 1.20 10. VARIOUS OF LABORATORY TECHNICAN CHECKING FROZEN SAMPLES 1.30 11. CLOSE OF TEMPERATURE ON MONITOR 1.33 12. CLOSE OF TECHNICIAN REMOVING SAMPLE FROM FREEZER 1.39 13. VARIOUS OF TECHNICIAN CHECKING BLOOD SAMPLE 1.51 14. VARIOUS OF PATIENT UNDERGOING BLOOD TRANSFUSION / EQUIPMENT 2.00 15. VARIOUS OF PATIENT MARA GABRILE WITH MEMBERS OF THE NGO "PRIMEIRO PASSO" (FIRST STEP) 2.16 16. VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPERS WITH PHOTOS, DRAWINGS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE STEM CELL TREATMENT TOGETHER WITH MEMBERS OF THE NGO 2.22 17. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PATIENT MARA GABRILE SAYING: "For me, it (the cellular implant) was very interesting because it was as if I had received a whole new energy, different from the (physical conditioning) work that I do on my body, that I've never stopped doing. As new things and new sensations are appearing (changes in her body), my body goes on changing and with the (stem cell) implant it has changed a lot more." 2.46 18. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) DOCTOR ERICA DE MEIRELLES SAYING: "The cells of these patients were collected through a filter, a separation of molecular weight. Those cells were prepared and re-injected in place of the spinal lesion. Once we analyzed the injection (of cells) and tested the potential in the area of sensation, we began to see the passage of electrical impulses in these patients where before there was none." 3.11 19. VARIOUS OF PHOTOS OF MARA GABRILE IN MAGAZINES 3.18 20. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PATIENT MARA GABRILE: "My skin is more sensitive to touch. My own perception of this sensation-- of where my space ends, where my extremities are-- has changed and that has very often been confusing. Sometimes I'm covered in bed and I have no idea what position I'm in. And I feel that that (the lack of spatial sensation) has improved. I think that I'm not yet well - I still have sensation in one leg up to here and the other to there - but it has improved." 3.48 21. VARIOUS OF PATIENT IN WHEELCHAIR GOING INTO THE GYM 3.54 22. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE DOCTOR TARCISIO BARROS SPEAKING: "This treatment document, this clinical studio, has various perspectives of analysis and study. And it's not yet the magical solution to the problem." 4.11 23. SLV GABRILE IN THE GYM 4.27 19. GABRILE TRYING TO WALK Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Reuters ID: LVA9UHVI71W4CCDFB2GSVLA96UBK
- Story Text: Brazilian scientists say they are restoring feeling
to patients with limb paralysis through stem cells.
Brazilian scientists recently announced that they
have successfully restored feeling to patients who were
paralyzed for over two years.
A team from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil said
12 out of 30 spinal cord patients have responded to
electrical stimulation of their paralyzed limbs.
Lead researcher Professor Tarcisio Barros explained
that the patients being treated have been suffering from
spinal damage for over two years. During that time, their
brains have not received any electrical impulses from their
legs.
The researchers harvested stem cells from the patient's
bone marrow, and reintroduced them into the artery
supplying the damaged area.
The results raise hopes that paralyzed people could one
day walk again.
One of the patients involved, Mara Gabrile, described
the new sensations she felt as a result of the treatment.
"For me, it (the cellular implant) was very interesting
because it was as if I had received a whole new energy,"
she said. "As new things and new sensations are appearing
(changes in her body), my body goes on changing and with
the (stem cell) implant it has changed a lot more.".
Stem cells - immature "master" cells which have the
ability to turn into many different types of tissue - are
thought by scientists to be a promising source of potential
new treatments for many diseases.
Doctor Erica de Meirelles explained that the patients'
cells were collected, prepared and then re-injected with
successful results.
"The cells of these patients were collected through a
filter, a separation of molecular weight. Those cells were
prepared and re-injected in place of the spinal lesion,"
she said. "Once we analyzed the injection (of cells) and
tested the potential in the area of sensation, we began to
see the passage of electrical impulses in these patients
where before there was none."
Gabrile testified to the changes the treatment has
produced. "My skin is more sensitive to touch," she said,
although lead researcher Professor Tarcisio Barros was
quick to warn that "it's not yet the magical solution to
the problem."
The use of stem cells in humans has raised ethical
concerns since much stem cell research involves the use of
human embryos or fetus. Stem cells taken from embryos have
already been shown to restore movement in paralyzed mice
but the Brazilian researchers used adult stem cells which
are more widely accepted, but have been thought of as less
promising.
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