Reagan, Alzheimer's Disease, And The Marketing of Science

The WaPo suggests that the proposed use of stem cells to treat Alzheimer's disease may be a bit of a promotional gimmick.

Stem Cells An Unlikely Therapy for Alzheimer's

Ronald Reagan's death from Alzheimer's disease Saturday has triggered an outpouring of support for human embryonic stem cell research. Building on comments made by Nancy Reagan last month, scores of senators on Monday called upon President Bush to loosen his restrictions on the controversial research, which requires the destruction of human embryos. Patient groups have also chimed in, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday added his support for a policy review.

That is consistent with this earlier post. However:

It is the kind of advocacy that researchers have craved for years, and none wants to slow its momentum.

But the infrequently voiced reality, stem cell experts confess, is that, of all the diseases that may someday be cured by embryonic stem cell treatments, Alzheimer's is among the least likely to benefit.

"I think the chance of doing repairs to Alzheimer's brains by putting in stem cells is small," said stem cell researcher Michael Shelanski, co-director of the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, echoing many other experts. "I personally think we're going to get other therapies for Alzheimer's a lot sooner."

The story cites other informed skeptics as well. From SDI to stem cells, the funding of scientific research is generally a political exercise, rather than a scientifically pure one.

UPDATE: Via Memeorandum, we see that Tacitus is very good on this.

UPDATE 2: We excerpt the Summary from Reproduction and Responsibility: The Regulation of New Biotechnologies by the President's Council on Bioethics:

Prohibit the use of human embryos in research beyond a designated stage in their development (between 10 and 14 days after fertilization).iii

Scientific American agrees.

And SciaAm provides a sidebar on Alzheimers'.

Comments

[Forbes]

As I understand it, the brain is the only organ that does not regenerate/replace its own cells over one's lifetime, as all other bodily organs do. The brain cells you're born with are the only ones you've got. It explains the truth about the cliches that "you only use about 10% of your brain" (as brain cells die out, others unutilized, pick up the slack) and "killing brain cells" (when quaffing a beer--as it is the natural course for brain cells to die).

The premise behind stem cell therapies is that implanted cells will replace defective cells so as to "fix" the defective organ--a cellular regeneration process that does not occur in the brain.

All this should be qualified as I am a layman, and not a Phd.

[John Mercer]

Minuteman, are you trying to defend Bush's destructive, hypocritical policy with obfuscation?

Bush isn't following the recommendation of the Council, because embryonic stem cells come from the blastocyst stage, which is BEFORE the cutoff recommended by the Council.

Forbes, your understanding is wrong, because cellular regeneration does occur in the brain. Rusty Gage of the Salk Institute showed that over seven years ago. The cliche about people only using 10% of the brain is spectacularly false.

I'm not a layman in this field, as I make mice from embryonic stem cells.