Stem Cell Therapy might help Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury and Autism, according to Science

Stem cells have been used extensively for many proven indications like leukemias or genetic disorders like thalassaemia. Bone marrow haematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) transplants have more than 35 years of patient applications in blood diseases and cancer.

Due to its potential, stem cell therapy has also been repurposed into newer indications such as neurological disorders. A key issue in the treatment of neurologic diseases is that injurious processes are often irreversible because nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are unable to spontaneously regenerate. However, neural plasticity has been observed experimentally in both global and focal brain ischaemia in animal models (Neurol India. 2009). Whether neurogenesis increases in response to brain and neural lesions or stem cells can be used for transplantation are the potential questions to be answered.

stem cell therapy malaysia

Methods 

Literature were searched through electronic databases which included PubMed.gov and ClinicalTrials.gov. The search strategy used the terms, which were either used singly or in various combinations: “stem cells” OR “ stem cells transplantation” OR “stem cells clinic”, "stroke", “multiple sclerosis”, “spinal cord injury” and "autism". The search was limited to articles on human and in English language only.

RESULTS

Stroke 

Stroke remains a significant clinical unmet condition with only 3% of ischaemic patient population benefiting from the thrombolytic drug tissue plasminogen activator largely because of the drug’s narrow 3-hour therapeutic window. Functional recovery may occur in a small or a localized brain injury using rehabilitation measures, but for large ischaemic strokes the restoration may require new synaptic connections within and away from the damaged tissue. For these reasons, the prospects of repairing the neuron system, using cell transplantation seems promising and may offer a unique approach for brain repair and restoration of function.

As of June 2020, there are more than 3,000 scientific publications on stem cell and stroke on PubMed.gov.

As of June 2020, more than 80 studies have been launched to investigate the benefits of stem cell therapy and stroke. You can review the status of these trials on clinicaltrials.gov.

Spinal cord injury 

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in devastating dysfunction and disability. Less than 1% of people who sustain significant injury to their spinal cord recover complete neurological function and many of these injuries result in partial or complete paralysis.

As of June 2020, there are more than 1,000 scientific publications on stem cell and spinal cord injury on PubMed.gov.

As of June 2020, more than 50 studies have been launched to investigate the benefits of stem cell therapy and spinal cord injury. You can review the status of these trials on clinicaltrials.gov.

Multiple sclerosis 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common disease of the central nervous system affecting approximately 2.5 million adults, mostly young women worldwide. MS treatment involved immunosuppressive and immunomodulating agents. The clinical course of the disease is very mixed. However, it typically presents with a relapsing-remitting course (RRMS; 80%), which is followed after 5 to 15 years in about 70% of patients by a so-called secondary progressive phase (SPMS). Ten to fifteen percent of patients have a primary progressive course, which is characterized by a steady progression from onset with or without any acute exacerbations (progressive relapsing MS (PRMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS), respectively.

As of June 2020, there are more than 1,000 scientific publications on stem cell and multiple sclerosis on PubMed.gov.

As of June 2020, more than 60 studies have been launched to investigate the benefits of stem cell therapy and multiple sclerosis. You can review the status of these trials on clinicaltrials.gov.

Autism

Stem cell therapy for autism in Malaysia is an ongoing topic of research and is considered experimental by the medical community. Parents can find fee-for-service clinics that advertise stem cell therapy for autism, but most of these clinics promote their own approach, which creates a lot of confusion among parents about how to compare their treatment options.

According to the list of cord blood releases by the Cordlife Group, more than 10 cases were used for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Malaysia and Singapore.

As of June 2020, there are more than 400 scientific publications on stem cell and autism on PubMed.gov.

As of June 2020, 19 studies have been launched to investigate the benefits of stem cell therapy and autism. You can review the status of these trials on clinicaltrials.gov.

Disclaimer

This article is not intended to replace any guidance from your healthcare practitioner. Before considering stem cell therapy, discuss its use with your healthcare provider, especially if you have an underlying health condition or are taking medication.