Affiliation:
1. Faculty of Catholic Theology, Institute of Moral Theology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
Abstract
Dementia currently affects more than 55 million people worldwide, and scientists predict that this number will continue to rise. The most common form is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is triggered, among other things, by dysfunctional cells in the human brain. Stem cell research attempts to counteract neurodegenerative processes, for example by replacing or treating diseased cells. In addition to human embryonic stem cells, since the successes of Takahashi and Yamanaka in 2006, there has been an increased focus on human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS cells). These cells avoid ethically challenging questions about the moral status of human embryos, but there are numerous problems, such as high production costs, side effects from the reprogramming process, or a potentially new moral status. These ethical issues will be examined primarily in relation to AD. The first part will be a discussion of hiPS cells and their importance for stem cell research, after which the focus turns to AD. Based on scientific studies, the relationship between hiPS cells and AD will be outlined as well as ethical implications presented. While potential limitations of hiPS cells have been discussed by numerous authors, an ethical perspective on the link between hiPS cells and AD seems to be neglected in the scientific community. The following risk analysis aims to identify a possible research agenda. In conclusion, the focus on individuals with AD may help to adopt an ethical stance that recognizes existing limitations and constructively engages with the possibilities of research.
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health,Geriatrics and Gerontology,Clinical Psychology,General Neuroscience
Reference60 articles.
1. Humane pluripotente Stammzellen –Perspektiven ihrer Nutzung und die Forschungssituation in Deutschland;Löser;Naturwiss Rundsch,2011
2. Induzierte pluripotente Stammzellen. Eine neue Ressource in der modernen Medizin;Liebau;Internist (Berl),2014
3. Generation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells;Park;Nat Protoc,2008
4. Stem cell models of Alzheimer’s disease: Progress and challenges;Arber;Alzheimers Res Ther,2017
5. Induzierte pluripotente Stammzellen: Ruhe an der Ethikfront?;Schöne-Seifert;Ethik Med,2009