How does Stem Cell Therapy help manage Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a lifelong neurological condition that impairs muscle movement and may cause intellectual disabilities. While receiving a diagnosis for Cerebral Palsy in a child can be tough on parents, it is important to remember that there are ways to ensure that the child has a full life. Recently, Stem Cell Therapy has received a lot of attention as a potential cure for Cerebral Palsy. It works by repairing damaged cells in the brain and neural networks. Let’s take a closer look at what Cerebral Palsy is and how Stem Cell Therapy can help.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy refers to a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, coordination, and motor skills caused by damage or abnormalities in the developing brain. While the condition is not progressive, the affected limbs or body parts may experience a steady decline in function as the child grows. Most Cerebral Palsy diagnosis happens when children are between two and three years of age, following which they should commence treatment as soon as possible. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy are the typical components of a cerebral palsy treatment plan. Stem Cell Therapy as well, is fast gaining popularity as a treatment option.

How is Cerebral Palsy Diagnosed?

There are currently no formal procedures for the detection of Cerebral Palsy. The process usually involves monitoring the child’s growth and identifying signs of physical and intellectual impairment. The most common diagnostic method is developmental screening. The doctor may ask the parents questions about how the child has been developing so far and whether the parents have observed any areas of concern. The doctor may also focus on certain motor abilities of the child during observation including reflexes, posture, muscle tone, and motor skills.

If there are signs indicating Cerebral Palsy, the doctor may refer the family to a pediatric neurologist for a formal assessment. The neurologist will then conduct certain tests to detect brain abnormalities, including:

• MRI — This makes use of a magnetic field and radio waves to create a detailed cross-sectional image of the child’s brain. This can help to identify lesions or other abnormalities that could point to cerebral palsy.
• Cranial Ultrasound — This procedure makes use of high-frequency ultrasound waves to get an image of the brain.

In addition, the doctor may require some other tests, including:

• Blood, stool, and urine tests — These will rule out any metabolic or genetic disorders that could be behind the developmental delays.
• Orthopedic tests — An orthopedic specialist can test the child for motor development, reflexes, postural reactions, and any structural abnormalities in the bones.
• Cognitive tests — A cognitive specialist may examine the child for intellectual, behavioral, or psychological impairments.

Stem Cell Therapy as a Treatment for Cerebral Palsy

With no cure currently known for Cerebral Palsy, the focus is on treatment that will ease the symptoms and improve the patient’s abilities and range of motion. Physiotherapy targets the affected limbs and enhances their strength while reducing muscle spasticity and contractures. Speech and language therapy helps children gain more control over the muscles involved in speaking and swallowing while also improving their cognitive function. Occupational therapy focuses on daily activities that help the child become more independent, like getting dressed, using the toilet, feeding, doing schoolwork, and so on.

In children with Cerebral Palsy, the growth and development of the brain is affected. In particular, the corticospinal tract (CST) that connects the spinal cord with the brain’s motor regions often sustains injury, which leads to motor difficulties. In this context, stem cell therapy is a regenerative therapy that can potentially repair the damaged cells in the brain and CST and provide support to the non-damaged cells. This happens as stem cells are induced to take on the nature of specialized cell types, and when the stem cells are modified to reduce the scarring in the brain and CST.

What is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cells possess two unique abilities. They can multiply and make copies of themselves, and they can also take on the nature of other cell types. The multiplicative ability means that the supply of stem cells is theoretically infinite. Scientists can thus collect as many stem cells as they need and direct them to transform into other cell types, assuming they know the relevant factors that can induce the change.

At Plexus, patients receive Stem Cell Therapy from autologous mononuclear cells, which are derived from their own bone marrow or blood. This is an easier procedure than looking for a cell donor, and also considerably reduces the risk of infection that arises from injecting cells from a foreign source. For autologous Stem Cell Therapy, the neuro-rehabilitation center will first collect a sample from the patient’s body and then use isolated sample cells for the procedure following a quality check. Patients can be discharged on the same day, while the healthcare team keeps a close check for any side effects.

Research on Stem Cell Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

Several studies have indicated that Stem Cell Therapy leads to positive physical changes and modest functional improvements in patients with Cerebral Palsy. A recent clinical trial showed that patients who received stem cell therapy demonstrated higher cognitive and motor improvements than those who received other types of treatment. Overall, nervous tissue degeneration can be corrected by stem cell therapy to a large extent. The mechanisms that stem cell therapy employs to correct this degeneration include the prevention of cell death, creation of new blood vessels, and the creation of new neural pathways in the brain to pick up new functions. While there are a few hurdles to overcome, such as discovering how to improve cell survival or how to integrate the transplanted cells more effectively into the patient’s neural pathways, the results so far are promising and merit serious consideration amongst both patients and scientists.

Final words

Cerebral Palsy is a lifelong condition that patients so far have had to learn to simply live with. Stem cell therapy is a highly promising treatment that has demonstrable benefits for Cerebral Palsy patients. It is important to note here that even stem cell therapy is not a perfect cure. However, for parents seeking a cure for their children, it certainly helps to visit a neuro-rehabilitation center and discuss the pros and cons of stem cell therapy. Combined with other forms of Cerebral Palsy treatment like physiotherapy and speech therapy, it can ensure the child a high degree of functionality and independence in life.

A highly regarded neurologist and stem cell specialist, Dr Na’eem Sadiq studied neurology and clinical neurophysiology in London before working with some of England’s and the Middle East’s most prestigious medical institutions. He completed his MBBS