Activation of neurotransplants in humans

Clinical studies report symptomatic benefit in most fetal neurotransplantation treated Parkinson's disease patients. The underlying mechanism is incompletely explained. We investigated whether neural connections between host and transplanted tissue are established. Two Parkinson's disease patients with clinically excellent outcome after transplantation were studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging. A repetitive motor task that provided robust stimulation in the contralateral putamen in volunteers activated graft bearing regions of putamen in patients. In response to contralateral motor tasks, activation was recorded consistently in left putamen in patient 1 and in right putamen in patient 2. Functional magnetic resonance imaging suggests that neuronal rewiring contributes to the functioning of neurotransplants in vivo in humans. (C) 1999 Academic Press.