Hi All,
I have been away from the forum for a couple of months and catching up today. Here I go giving my 2 cents worth on this abstract!

Since its an abstract from the Annals, it is a comprehensive survey of whats been going on in the field and their abstract seems to say that the current mode of treatments have not worked well. I think it is an accurate statement. Unless one reads the article its hard to say more than that.

As far as the stem cell therapies (wherever they are derived from) go, they are temporary till we know what causes neuronal cell death......thats one reason for many to be not so enthusiastic about this type of treatment.
I wish people who benefited from these therapies in India, China or Germany come forward to share their experiences,

However, a combination of gene therapy with a growth factor and an anti-inflammatory/anti-apoptotic molecule and stemcells could give us what we are looking for.
The million $$ question is how soon and when? I dont think anyone has an answer for it. So its neither good nor bad new IMHO. Its the same old news and I understand the frustration.

girija