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Allogeneic Stem Cells For Neurodegenerative Diseases

June 4, 2015

Allogeneic Stem Cells Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases

stem cellThe stem cells are the precursors of all cells in the body. They are very essential for formation of new tissues and healing of damaged tissues as a result of diseases or even accidents. The stem cells are available in adequate quantities in the bone marrow and in the adipose tissues as well. They have the ability to turn into the red blood cells, platelets or even the white blood cells. They can also form the muscles cells, the bones and even cartilage and hence help in keeping your body healthy. naturally you should be having the healthy amounts of these stem cells, unfortunately due to diseases and accidents that may result in bone marrow destruction and damage you may have too little of these essential stem cells and so you will need a stem cell transplant. In most cases the stem cell transplant is done through an IV, supplementing the little stem cells you have left and hence enabling the body to work right.

When the stem cells are harvested from the same person, the transplant is termed as autologous stem cell transplant. the autologous stem cell transplant is the most popular as the cells are harvested from the patient’s own body and this rules out any chance of the transplant being rejected or causing any pathological reactions that may warranty serious medical attention. however there are cases when the stem cells can’t be sourced from the patient’s own body and this will dictate that the stem cells be sourced from a different person who is not genetically identical to the patient; this is termed as allogeneic stem cell transplant. For safety of any recipient in allogeneic stem cell transplant, it is important to match closely the immune system markers to reduce chances of any reaction that may inhibit the healing process.

Stem cells and neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are numerous and each has distinctive effects on the patient but all are caused as a result of neurodegeneration. Neurodegeneration refers to the damage of the nerves in that are essential for transmission of messages within the nervous system. When the nerve cells are destroyed and deformed, they lose their original structure they will begin to malfunction. In most cases this damage is done gradually but at the end of it all the patient will suffer from cognitive disabilities such as memory loss and poor decision making. There are numerous neurodegenerative diseases, however basing on their debilitating effects, just a few have been known and are being currently focused on. Some of the famous neurogenerative diseases includes; Huntington disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Apart from these diseases listed above there are others that have not been in the medical literature and are less publicized, this doesn’t mean that they are not worth the mention. They are.

The greatest danger of all neurodegenerative diseases is that they lead to progressive brain damage and neurodegeneration. The major three diseases may show different features and effects but they progress in similar manner at the cell level. take Parkinson’s disease for example, it affects the basal ganglia of the brain, depleting it of dopamine hence causing stiffness, rigidity and tremors in the major muscles of the body which are distinctive features of the disease.

In Alzheimer’s disease, it is characterized by deposits of minute protein plaques that damages different brain parts thereby leading to gradual memory loss while Huntington’s disease is known to corrupt the genetic make-up affecting muscles of the body thereby resulting in motor restriction and eventual death.

Allogeneic stem cells transplant

Allogeneic stem cellsThe cell is harvested from the bone marrow of a suitable donor by use of a needle. This maybe done repeatedly to draw the sufficient amounts needed for the transplant. After harvesting the cells from the marrow the blood is passed through a machine that separates the stem cells from the blood leaving the rest of the blood flowing back into the donor through the needle into the donors arm. The harvested stem cells can then be transplanted into the patient through a central venous catheter that is inserted into the patient’s chest. The stem cells flow through the catheter into the patient’s blood and into the bone marrow where they will give rise to other stem cells between one to three weeks.

After transplant the stem cells will begin to work in repairing and replacing the worn out tissues caused by various degenerative diseases. All this is made possible since they can form any cell in the body and help restore the normal body functions.

The neurodegenerative diseases have very debilitating effects; the inception of stem cell therapy seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for those suffering from these diseases. Anyway you need to be updated on how well you can regain your health and vitality back even after suffering from these diseases.

conference

Get in contact with Dr. Dalal Akoury an experienced doctor in integrative medicine at www.awaremednetwork.com as well as http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com and learn more about the upcoming Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will focus on the unique approaches to identifying symptoms of addiction and how to help addicts.

Allogeneic Stem Cells Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases

 

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Adipose Derived Stem Cells and Brain Regenerative Addiction

April 20, 2015

Adipose Derived Stem Cells for Brain Regenerative Addiction

Addiction to drugs is known for their adverse health effects. After using drugs for a long time a person’s health become deteriorated leading to myriads of complications. The part of the body that is the most adversely affected is the brain. The brain and the entire nervous system are subjected to lots of damage after a long use of drugs of abuse. The brain works together with the neurotransmitters to pass messages in order to initiate certain responses but after along use of drugs of abuse the coordination between them becomes altered. Neurotransmitters are very crucial in the nervous system. They are the chemicals that transmit messages from one nerve cell to another. Nerve cells are known as neurons. The nerve impulse travels from the first nerve cell through the axon, a single smooth body arising from the nerve cell to the axon terminal and the synaptic knobs. Each synaptic knob communicates with a dendrite or cell body of another neuron, and the synaptic knobs contain neurovesicles that store and release neurotransmitters. The synapse lies between the synaptic knob and the next cell. For the impulse to continue traveling across the synapse to reach the next cell, the synaptic knobs release the neurotransmitter into that space, and the next nerve cell is stimulated to pick up the impulse and continue it. An interference with the neurotransmitters can adversely affect the flow of message within the nervous system. After prolonged use of drugs they interfere with the harmonious flow of information from the brain to the rest of the body maiming its normal functions. There are myriads of neurotransmitters that are affected by prolonged use of drugs of pleasure.

Adipose Derived Stem Cells

Some of the neurotransmitters that are adversely affected during addiction

Dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters that are highly targeted by drugs of pleasure. Due to the ‘high’ feelings it is associated with, some people have called it the ‘bliss neurotransmitter’. It is responsible for good feeling, the euphoric feelings that drug addicts seek from various drugs of abuse. Dopamine has great influence on well-being, alertness, learning, creativity, attention and concentration. Levels of dopamine should be optimal in the brain since when the level of dopamine is low it can leave us craving food, sex or stimulation. When the dopamine level is too high it can cause addictive behaviors. It has been observed that patients who are put on medications to boost dopamine level especially the Parkinson’s patient, they will form an addictive behavior like gambling when the levels of dopamine shoots beyond the optimal level. Dopamine boosts the feelings of pleasure but when the levels are too high it may result in Paranoia or a suspicious personality. Dopamine is also released when there is high stress. Therefore the level of dopamine should be regulated to ensure sound health. This is where the functions of inhibitory neurotransmitters set in, however with influence of drugs this coordination between excitatory neurotransmitters and inhibitory neurotransmitters is maimed.

Some drugs of pleasure contain nicotine which influences mood, cognition, and body function by binding to and activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) located on neurons in the brain. When activated by either nicotine or the endogenous neurotransmitter acetylcholine, the nAChR opens a channel that allows ions to pass through the neuron’s membrane from the exterior to the interior of the cell and trigger changes that activate the cell. When you take tobacco or other drug with nicotine the nicotine will have interactions with nAChRs and therefore any nicotine dependence treatment should focus on altering these interactions.

Nicotine produces rewarding effects by interacting with nAChRs on neurons in the brain’s mesolimbic reward system. This system comprises dopaminergic neurons that originate in the ventral tegmental area often shortened as VTA and release the neurotransmitter dopamine in regions involved in information processing, memory, and emotions, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc), hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Increases in dopamine levels within the mesolimbic system give rise to rewarding effects. Nicotine directly enhances dopamine levels in the mesolimbic system by interacting with nAChRs on the dopaminergic neurons and causing them to release more of the neurotransmitter. Nicotine also modulates dopamine release indirectly by binding to nAChRs located on excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory gamma aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) neurons in the ventral tegmental area. These glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons originate from a number of brain areas, such as the NAc, hippocampus, PFC, amygdala, ventral pallidum, and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, and regulate the activity of dopaminergic neurons.

Adipose Derived Stem Cells

Using Adipose derived stem cells to restore the health of the brain

As explained above the brain chemistry is adversely altered after prolonged use of drugs of abuse and these calls for restoration and regeneration of the brain during addiction treatment. Today researchers have found that adipose derived stem cells can be used in regenerating and restoring the neurotransmitters that are affected during drug addiction. The stem cells can be used to create healthy cells in situations where drugs have damaged cells. This can be done by taking healthy stem cells and transplanting them into the nervous system through an IV. Through this doctors can cause changes in brain and body chemical compositions that offer a key to healing problems such as alcoholism and drug addiction. The healthy stem cells are capable of changing the chemical composition of our brains and how the brain works. When healthy stem cells are transplanted into the damaged brain area. In the case of drugs; the area of the brain that controls impulses and chemical reactions to substances they begin to rebuild that area without the previous cellular dysfunction. This means that brain functions that facilitate addiction will be done with.  Stem cells are the best remedy as they are new and have no mutations that therefore restore the affected areas to equilibrium and facilitating whole-body healing of the addict.

Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing the best integrative approaches to treatment of diseases. We advocate for dietary as well as natural healing to diseases wherever possible. Visit as at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) will be of help.

Adipose Derived Stem Cells for Brain Regenerative Addiction

 

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Adult Stem Cells Therapy Amplifies Anti-Aging

March 9, 2015

With New Technologies Stem Cell Therapy Has Become Effective For Anti-Aging

Every person would love to stay young forever. That is a fact. Being young has many advantages since that is the time when a person has unrivalled vitality and good health as well. However it is in human life cycles that at some point a person shall have to age, grow old. This to me is not a problem. Aging is just a stage in life just like puberty. In spite of aging being a step in the lifecycle of human beings, it comes with certain disadvantages, as people age production of crucial hormones that life depends upon may come to a halt giving rise to myriad complications. It is these complications that are the problem and not necessarily the aging itself. It is a basic fact that women in perimenopause and menopause tend to accumulate fat around the waist and hips. Some people may also become obese as they age, a condition which is a home to many diseases such as diabetes and some type of cancers. It is therefore important to prepare yourself and choose a lifetime that will help you live a healthy life even as you age. It has been encouraged that the best way to fight these illnesses and conditions that are associated with aging is by with increasing exercise, reducing alcohol intake and eating healthy foods. By reducing alcohol intake a person reduces the danger of calories being deposited right in the gut. You may also. Also, increase your healthy fat intake, omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats. However you should eliminate Trans fats completely because there’s no safe amount of them.

Anti-Aging

When for instance you chose to live unhealthy lifestyle before aging, or with considerate leniency, you had to live an unhealthy lifestyle before aging and you begin suffering the consequences; diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia among other problems associated with aging, you will need medical help. Today researchers have discovered that stem cells can be used to help in fighting aging.  Researchers have verified that the stem cell therapy can be used as in anti-aging program. To many people the stem cell therapy may be a new term or better yet an innovative approach to treatment of diseases but the reality is that this approach to treatment of diseases and fighting aging has been used for ages now, but with recent breakthroughs in technology, the use of the stem cells in treatments have grown better. A bigger hurdle that many patients using stem cell therapy as anti-aging faced was that an aging person had less of the stem cells to be used in his own therapy. The procedure was also expensive too but now the stem cells can be easily obtained and effectively used as in fighting aging.

All people have stem cells, it’s only that their amount diminishes as a person ages. The most common is known as hematopoietic stem cells.  The type of adult stem cell that is most often seen in research associated with tissue repair is a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)

Different types of stem cells used as anti-aging agents

Stem Cell TherapyThere are different types of stem cells that are located in different parts of the body. These stem cells can be used to fight aging effectively. There is a type of stem cell known as hematopoietic stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells are found circulating in the blood and the bone marrow. They produce blood cells such white blood cells and red blood cells among others. These stem cells can be utilized in helping to produce other types of stem cells which can effectively help to repair the body. This process is called plasticity. This process works on the basis that the stem cells have the ability to turn into different types of stem cells. Doctors may therefore go from a stem cell, which produces blood cells, to one which produces cartilage tissue or tendon tissue. When a bone marrow aspiration is performed doctors obtain a rich source of these stem cells that can be turned into more useful stem cells and be utilized in fighting age related conditions.

Researchers have found a specific stem cell type to be very important in stem cell therapy to fight aging. These stem cells that are considered to be the most important are known as the mesenchymal stem cells.  The Mesenchymal stem cells are found in the bone marrow, the circulating blood as well as in fat cells. Mesenchymal stem cells are the most important stem cells for orthopedic purposes as they help to   repair and replace damaged tissues.

The Mesenchymal stem cells are very helpful, however as a person ages the number of mesenchymal stem cells in the bone marrow gets depleted and this is what results in aging. It is therefore very logical to go through a stem cell therapy as an anti-aging procedure that will also help on mitigating on the adverse effects of aging.  The used of stem cells in treatments of certain diseases is not knew. However it is good to mention that when compared to embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have distinct advantages. For one, they do not cause an immune reaction, and two there are no ethical issues, as they are your own cells.

With improved technology and equipment, the stem cell therapy has become a very effective treatment for age related ailments. Dr. Dalal Akoury is an experienced doctor especially in the field of integrative treatment. Visit her at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for more.

With New Technologies Stem Cell Therapy Has Become Effective For Anti-Aging

 

 

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Current Stem Cell Treatments for Orthopedic Conditions

March 8, 2015

Current Stem Cell Treatments for Orthopedic Conditions

The stem cells have a unique ability to divide and become more specialized cells forming cells like bone, blood, or muscle. It is this ability that makes them attractive agents in many areas of medicine.  They can therefore be used to fight very many diseases in the regenerative medicine. Another advantage of stem cell therapy treatments is that autologous stem cell transport is made possible. This means that a person may be treated by doctors harvesting the stem cells from the patient and having the stem cells reimplanted into the same patient after finding out what was lacking in the patient. This reduces risks of infection as well as rejection which are helpful to the patient.

Today the stem cell therapy has become the game changing approach to treatment of orthopedic conditions. The ability of these stem cells to differentiate into more specialized cells has made them a valuable target in treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Particularly the use of bone marrow stromal cells has attracted the attention of researchers who are in pursuit of finding out how these stem cells can be applied to end human misery caused by some diseases.

Stem cells are a unique type of cells, unlike the other cells in the body the stem cell have the ability to self-renew, they have the ability to divide several times giving rise to differentiated cells which are suited for specific functions hence can be used to replace or regenerate worn out cells in the body causing pain and discomfort. They can form cardiac, liver, fat, bone, cartilage, nerve, and connective tissue cells among other more specialized cells. Autologous stem cell therapy harnesses the regenerative power of your body’s own stem cells as a treatment option for degenerative orthopedic conditions.

body_skeleton

Today there are hospitals that have embraced the use of stem cells therapy in treating orthopedic conditions that were rather not easily treated in the past.  They offer this autologous stem cell therapy, which embraces the regenerative power of mesenchymal stem cells to give patients another treatment option for dealing with orthopedic conditions such as osteoarthritis and other degenerative joint conditions.  Patients who have the following diseases can benefit from stem cell therapy;

  • Degenerative Joint Changes, Including Osteoarthritis
  • Disc-related Back Pain
  • Meniscus Tears
  • Non-Union Fractures
  • Avascular Necrosis
  • Bone Loss
  • Cartilage Defects
  • Osteonecrosis
  • Tendonopathies

Orthopedic Areas in which Stem Cell Therapy is applicable

Spine – the stem cell therapy is applicable in treatment of the degenerated intervertebral disk which is known to cause pain and morbidity to many patients. The stem cell therapy brings into the field of regenerative medicine some bits of effectiveness.  In treatment of spine, patients who fail to respond to conservative medicine are left with one option-surgery that may have limited success and is also very invasive. Cell-based tissue treatments, including mesenchymal stem cell injections for degenerative disc subjects have been shown to diminish the incidence of low back pain, with clinical results noting improvement in back pain and regeneration of the disc tissue. In cases where spinal fusions are necessary, the use of stem cells through bone marrow aspirate has shown greater success in obtaining fusion through bone formation as compared to standard fusion techniques. Daily the number of institutions using the stem cell therapy to treat orthopedic conditions is increasing.

Articular Cartilage – when the articular cartilage is damaged, the potential to repair it are limited and this can often lead to arthritic diseases many years later. This damage may be caused by injury. The vulnerability of the articular cartilage makes it important for it to be well handled in cases of injury. studies that have been done on the applicability of the stem cell therapy to repair damaged articular cartilage have shown that stem cell therapy have favorable outcomes in this area than current techniques of micro fracture and autologous chondrocyte implantation. Most studies use mesenchymal stem cells derived from the bone marrow.

orthopedic therapyOsteonecrosis – Osteonecrosis or avascular ischemia of the hip can be associated with progression to an advanced arthritic joint. Standard treatment for osteonecrosis has included cord decompression with limited results. Stem cell therapy holds key to success in this area of orthopedic treatment. Studies on this area have shown that patients treated with mesenchymal stem cells improved than those treated with cord decompression.

 Bone – some damages on the bone may require transplantation of the bone plus other bone components. This is the effective way of restoring the bone structure. Being that the mesenchymal stem cells can be differentiated into bone cells and be used to replace the damaged bone components, stem cell therapy becomes the most appropriate treatment for bone damage.

Tendons and Ligaments –  Autografts, allografts, and resorbable materials have been used to repair defects in tendons and ligaments however these methods puts the life of the patient at risk which may include formation of scars, donor morbidity and even tissue rejection. With autologous stem cell transplant all these risks are alleviated plus the mesenchymal stem cells may also be used alongside tissue allografts as this gives better results by improving the biochemical properties of the tissue allografts.

Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for orthopedic diseases; you may tap into the unique medicinal properties of the stem cells to help you beat orthopedic conditions. Visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help.

Current Stem Cell Treatments for Orthopedic Conditions

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It’s A Doctor’s Responsibility: Addiction Treatment

March 2, 2015

Life Time Risk of Imprisonment If Not Treated

The very existence of the medicine profession is to help find solution to patients who are suffering from various diseases. However in most situations the patients will have to pay for the services offered by the doctor. This is no crime; every profession exists so that those who specialize in those professions can make a living after offering their service. With this said it is good to note that there are times when a patient may need an emergent medical attention but may not be able to pay. During these times the patient should be able to be treated even if the doctor knows that he won’t pay. It is a responsibility of every doctor to tend his services to a patient who needs emergency care even without pay failure to which he will be imprisoned for failing to save a life that would have been saved had he offered his services to the patient on the right time.  Doctors know this and so they strive to give help when these situations pop up.

In medical laws any patient who needs an emergency response has a right to be treated and even a drug addict who is at the verge of losing his life as a result of addiction, withdrawal effects or drug overdose is termed an emergency case and so should be treated just like any other person who might have required a medical emergency from any unfortunate happening like road accident. Any person has a right to treatment at the times of emergency since without treatment the person may become disabled or may die.

Addiction treatment

Both public and private hospitals have a duty to administer medical care to a person experiencing an emergency. It is therefore in every doctor’s domain to treat a patient that needs emergency response failure to which he shall be legally responsible for the death of the patient.

If a hospital hasemergency facilities, it is legally required to provide appropriate treatment to a person experiencing an emergency. If the hospital is unableto provide emergency services, it must provide a referral for approriate treatment. Hospitals cannot refuse to treat prospective patient’s onthe basis of race, religion, or national origin, or refuse to treat someone with HIV or AIDS.

Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act 

In 1986, Congress passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) (42 U.S.C.A. § 1395dd), which establishedcriteria for emergency services and criteria for safe transfer of patients between hospitals. This statute was designed to prevent transferring an undesirable patient to another facility.The law applies to all hospitals receiving federal funds, such asMedicare. The law requires hospitals to provide a screening exam to determine if an emergency condition exists, providestabilizing treatment to any emergency patient or to any woman in active labor before transfer, and continue treatment until a patient can bedischarged or transferred without harm. It also delineates strict guidelines for the transfer of a patient who cannot be stabilized. A hospitalthat negligently or knowingly and willfully violates any of these provisions can be terminated or suspended from Medicare.The physician,the hospital, or both can also be penalized up to $50,000 for each knowing violation of thelaw.

Addiction TreatmentAny patient who needs emergency attention should receive it since if it is delayed there might be a loss of life. Therefore if a doctor is asked to attend to a medical emergency as defined in this statement, he must respond. This is both an ethical and legal obligation and therefore every doctor should abide. However rare there will be times when attending a medical emergency is impossible or unsafe for the doctor or patient. If a doctor chooses not to attend he or she may be required to defend that decision in the event of a charge of professional misconduct or criminal prosecution. The patient who needs medical attention is therefore catered for and should not be ignored.

A doctor is at risk of being professionally or criminally responsible of the death of a patient if he or she fails to render prompt and appropriate medical care to any person whether the patient is a current patient has just came in, in a medical emergency. A doctor who chooses not to attend must have good reason and be able to defend this position at a later time otherwise he will be charged in a court of law for medical negligence.

However there are situations when a doctor, may or should not attend a medical emergency. These scenarios may include;

  • if he or she is already attending another emergency
  • if it is more appropriate for an emergency service to attend (i.e. ambulance or rescue helicopter);
  • the geographical location of the doctor is such that another doctor or medical service can attend more promptly;
  • if he or she is off duty at the time of the call and has been drinking alcohol or taken medication or other substances to a level that may adversely influence the doctor’s level of competence;
  • If attending the emergency places the personal safety of the doctor at risk.
  • The doctor may also not attend to the patient if he is not in the right state of health himself or when he knows he is not competent enough to help the patient.

However a doctor should be able to take good care of the patient even if he is not able to offer any reasonable help to the patient. He should be able to assist the patient to access another health center where he can be helped. If a doctor fails to attend to emergency because of matters of inconvenience he will be charged and prosecuted.

Addicts just like anyone else have rights to emergency attention that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to patients by availing the needed information and offering them a place to call home. Just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Life Time Risk of Imprisonment If Not Treated

 

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