Clinical case 04
Improved motor function in early-stage Parkinson's disease
woman, 72 · Portugal
Patient record
- Patient
- woman, 72
- Country
- Portugal
- Diagnosis
- Parkinson's disease, early stage
- Relevant neurological history
- poliomyelitis in childhood; MRI showed chronic vascular and demyelinating changes in the brain
- Main features before treatment
- impaired walking and balance, bradykinesia and rigidity mainly on the right, resting tremor, hypophonia, hypomimia, reduced speed and precision of fine movement
- Treatment given
- an individual combined cell, immunoregulatory and neuroregenerative programme
- Course after treatment
- stabilisation, reduced rigidity and bradykinesia, improved walking, voice and fine motor control
History
The patient consulted a neurologist because of disturbance of walking and balance that had developed over several months.
Slowness of movement and muscular rigidity gradually joined them, more marked on the right side. A resting tremor also appeared from time to time, mainly on the right. Her voice grew quieter and her facial expression less animated.
Neurological examination found hypomimia, hypophonia, mild plastic hypertonia more marked on the right, a resting tremor and moderate bradykinesia. Her gait showed reduced speed and stride length, and rapid repetitive movements of the fingers and feet were slowed.
Taking the clinical signs together, the neurologist made a diagnosis of early-stage Parkinson's disease.
Before treatment
At the time she came to us, what mattered most to the patient were:
- impaired walking and balance
- bradykinesia – general slowness of movement
- muscular rigidity, mainly on the right
- intermittent resting tremor
- hypophonia – reduced strength and volume of the voice
- hypomimia
- reduced speed and precision of fine hand movement
In assessing her gait, account was also taken of the poliomyelitis she had had in childhood, which could likewise contribute to her motor limitations.
The programme
After analysing the clinical picture, a personalised combined programme of cell, immunoregulatory and neuroregenerative therapy was drawn up for the patient.
At the preparatory stage her own biological material was processed for the subsequent use of autologous regulatory T cells.
The programme included several complementary directions:
- therapy with her own regulatory T cells
- use of mesenchymal stromal cells of placental origin
- systemic and neurally targeted components of the cell therapy
- concentrated exosome therapy
- intranasal peptide support
- two sessions of neurotherapy
The exact doses and the sequence of procedures formed part of an individual internal protocol.
Course after treatment
After the programme the patient noted positive changes above all in motor function.
Disease stabilisation
One of the main results was that the previous clinical progression of the disease stopped.
The patient no longer noticed the steady deterioration she had seen before treatment. Over the follow-up period her condition became considerably more stable.
Rigidity and bradykinesia
The muscular rigidity became less marked.
Bradykinesia also became less noticeable: movements became freer, quicker and less stiff, which made everyday tasks easier.
Walking
The patient noted improvement in the quality of her walking.
Getting about became more confident, and her overall mobility improved.
Voice
There was positive change in speech as well: the hypophonia lessened, and her voice became stronger and easier to hear.
Fine motor control
The speed and precision of fine hand movement also improved, which made tasks requiring good finger control easier.
Outcome
After the individual combined programme, the most noticeable positive change was across several of the key features of the parkinsonian syndrome:
- the previous clinical progression of the disease stopped;
- rigidity lessened
- bradykinesia became less marked
- walking improved
- hypophonia lessened
- fine motor control improved
What mattered particularly to the patient was that the change touched not one isolated symptom but several functions at once that shape her daily activity – movement, walking, voice and the use of her hands.
This case is described from the patient's medical records and observation over the period after the programme. No personal data is published. The course of the disease and the response to treatment differ from patient to patient.