NEW STEM CELL FOUND IN THE BRAIN

Researchers at Lund University have discovered a new stem cell in the adult brain. These cells can proliferate and form several different cell types – most importantly, they can form new brain cells. Now the researchers hope to put the discovery to use to develop methods that can repair diseases and injury to the brain.

Analysing brain tissue from biopsies, the researchers for the first time found stem cells located around small blood vessels in the brain. The cell’s specific function is still unclear, but its plastic properties suggest great potential. A similar cell type has been identified in several other organs where it can promote regeneration of muscle, bone, cartilage and adipose tissue.

In other organs, researchers have shown clear evidence that these types of cells contribute to repair and wound healing. Scientists suggest that the curative properties may also apply to the brain. The next step is to try to control and enhance stem cell self-healing properties with the aim of carrying out therapies targeted to a specific area of the brain.

“Our findings show that the cell capacity is much larger than we originally thought, and that these cells are very versatile,” said Gesine Paul-Visse, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Lund University.

“Most interesting is their ability to form neuronal cells, but they can also be developed for other cell types. The results contribute to better understanding of how brain cell plasticity works and opens up new opportunities to exploit these very features.”

The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, is of interest to a broad spectrum of brain research. Future possible therapeutic targets range from neurodegenerative diseases to stroke.

“We hope that our findings may lead to a new and better understanding of the brain’s own repair mechanisms,” said Dr. Paul-Visse. “Ultimately the goal is to strengthen these mechanisms and develop new treatments that can repair the diseased brain.”

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Link to the study here:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035577

The study:

Title: The Adult Human Brain Harbors Multipotent Perivascular Mesenchymal Stem Cells Published in: PLoS ONE, 16 April, 2012.

New stem cell found in the brain.

A history of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and stem cells

YEARS AWAY FROM A STEM CELL ETA AND ALL WE CAN HOPE FOR TODAY IS DOA…

A history of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

aka Lou Gehrig’s disease

and stem cell treatments for humans going back to 2001.

OVERVIEW:

More stem cells in Lou Gehrig’s disease

29 Sep 2009 | 19:51 BST | Posted by Monya Baker | Category: Clinical trials

Shortly after my coverage of the FDA’s approval for NeuralStem’s stem-cell trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis appeared on the Niche, Letizia Mazzini and Franca Fagioli of Eastern Piedmont University contacted me to tell me about their team’s work using mesenchymal stem cells for the same disease. While Neuralstem is moving forward with neural stem cells, Mazzini and colleagues have been exploring the use of mesenchymal stem cells derived from the patient who will receive them. She has recently published results of a Phase I trial as well as a review of stem-cell approaches in ALS. Unfortunately, I learned of this work only after I’d posted.
Here is their letter:

We have just read, not without some interest, the NeuralStem communicate. The trial is presented as if it were the first clinical study with stem cells in ALS (“This is the first stem-cell approach for ALS” says Lucie Bruijin). However, this needs to be rectified as we conducted two phase 1 clinical trials one in 2001 (Mazzini et al., 2008)) and the other in 2007 (Mazzini L et al., 2009). The trials were approved respectively by the regional Ethical Committee and by the Italian Institute of Health and by the and were designed to test the safety and the feasibility of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation into the spinal cord of ALS patients.

MSC were isolated from patients’ bone marrow, in vitro expanded for 3-4 passages and evaluated for quality control as requested by national rules on advanced therapies. In neither of our trials were there any immediate or delayed transplant related toxicities. Stem cells were transplanted into the spinal cord at the thoracic levels with a surgical approach. Clinical, laboratory, and radiographic evaluations of the patients showed no serious transplant related adverse events. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) showed no structural changes (including tumor formation) in either the brain or the spinal cord.

Furthermore, we also demonstrated that expanded MSCs can survive and migrate after transplantation in the lumbar spinal cord of SOD1-G93A mice, where they prevent astrogliosis and microglial activation and delay the ALS-related decrease in the number of motor neurons, resulting in an amelioration of motor performance (Vercelli A et al., 2008 ). Therefore we concluded that MSCs represent a good source of stem cells for future ALS cell based clinical trials.

Thus, the NeuralStem trial, as it appears, shows this experimental design to be no different to our studies except for the cell type: neural stem cell derived from a 8-week fetus.

Letizia Mazzini, MD ALS Centre, Dpt of Neurology ,Eastern Piedmont University Maggiore della Carità Hospital Novara, Italy

Franca Fagioli, MD Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Unit Pediatric Onco-Hematology Department Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital Torino. Italy

References

1.Mazzini, L. & Mareschi, K.& Ferrero, I.& Vassallo, E.& Oliveri, G.& Nasuelli, N.& Oggioni, GD.& Testa, L.& Fagioli F. Stem cell treatment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 265 (2008) 78–83 (PubMed link)

2. Mazzini L, Ferrero I, Luparello V, Rustichelli D, Gunetti M, Mareschi K, Testa L, Stecco A, Tarletti R, Miglioretti M, Fava E, Nasuelli N, Cisari C, Massara M, Vercelli R, Oggioni GD, Carriero A, Cantello R, Monaco F, Fagioli F Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A Phase I clinical trial.Exp Neurol. 2009 Aug 13. (PubMed link)

3. Alessandro Vercelli, Oana M Mereuta, MD; Diego Garbossa, MD; Giuseppe Muraca; Katia Mareschi; Deborah Rustichelli; Ivana Ferrero; Letizia Mazzini, MD; Enrico Madon, MD; Franca Fagioli, MD Human mesenchymal stem cell transplantation extends survival, improves motor performance and decreases neuroinflammation in mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Neurobiology of disease. 31 (2008) 395–405 (PubMed link)

 

ADDITIONAL STUDIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (may be some repetition)

2003 – Stem cell therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a methodological approach in humans
Our results appear to demonstrate that the procedures of ex vivo expansion of autologous mesenchymal stem cells and of transplantation into the spinal cord of humans are safe and well tolerated by ALS patients.  Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14660820310014653

 

2003 – Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord  – Letizia Mazzini and colleagues (Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord 2003; 4: 158—61) injected autologous bone-marrow-derived stem cells into the spinal cord of seven ALS patients. These investigators reported that the procedure had a reasonable margin of clinical safety. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2804%2916634-8/fulltext

 

2007 – Stem cell treatment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Journal of the Neurological Sciences xx (2007) xxx– xxx – The results of the long term follow-up (more than 4 years) confirm that intraspinal injection of MSCs in ALS patients is safe as previously reported. – http://fondazionevialliemauro.it/eng/PDF/JNS.pdf

2008 – Stem cell treatment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Journal of the Neurological Sciences – Volume 265, Issue 1 , Pages 78-83, 15 February 2008 – Our results seem to demonstrate that MSCs represent a good chance for stem cell cell-based therapy in ALS and that intraspinal injection of MSCs is safe also in the long term. A new phase 1 study is carried out to verify these data in a larger number of patients.

2009 – Stem Cell treatment of ALS has a history of success since Feb

“In a [February, 2009] published clinical stem cell research study, adult stem cells were shown to help delay Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) progression and improve an ALS patient’s quality of life. This research study was believed to be the first published study comparing ALS patients who had their own stem cells injected into their brain vs a control group…

The initial two year clinical test study results of the stem cell procedure was published in Cytotherapy, February, 2009. Positive results were confirmed through both clinical observation and MRI tractography.  It is considered by many within the international neurological community to be the foremost procedure available for minimizing or abrogating ALS symptoms and extending the lifespan of ALS patients. The procedure is a state of the art use of autologous CD-133 (+) stem cells injected into the frontal cortices for the effective replacement of motor neurons.”

 

ALS adult stem cell trial = safe and effective

The initial two year clinical test study results of the stem cell procedure instituted by Hospital San Jose Tecnologico de Monterrey, was published in Cytotherapy, February, 2009. Positive results were confirmed through both clinical observation and MRI tractography. It is considered by many within the international neurological community to be the foremost procedure available for minimizing or abrogating ALS symptoms and extending the lifespan of ALS patients. The procedure is a state of the art use of autologous CD-133 (+) stem cells injected into the frontal cortices for the effective replacement of motor neurons.
Via http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/als-adult-stem-cell-trial-safe-and-effective-reuters/
THE TRIAL: http://www.alsworldwide.net/pdfs/monterey_hospital.pdf

 

2012 – BrainStorm sees positive data in ALS stem cell trial

TEL AVIVTue Jan 17, 2012 12:07am EST -  (Reuters) – Data from the first ALS patients in a clinical trial treated with BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics adult stem cell therapy did not show significant side effects and the treatment has so far proven to be safe, the company said on Tuesday…http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/17/us-brainstorm-trial-embargoed-idUSTRE80G07Q20120117?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100

CEREBRAL PALSY AND STEM CELLS

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/little-lucass-stem-cell-hope/
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/cord-blood-wakes-up-drowning-victim%e2%80%99s-brain/

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/shiu-sisters-cp-and-rop-adult-stem-cell-patients/

Duke U. CLINICAL TRIAL for Cerebral Palsy & other newborn brain injuries – http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00593242?term=hypoxic+ischemic+encephalopathy&rank=3 – for more information – http://parentsguidecordblood.org/content/usa/medical/autocbt.shtml or for anecdotal info – Abby , Chloe, Dallas

Dallas Hextell, a 2-year-old from Sacramento, California, received an infusion of his own umbilical cord blood as part of the Duke University clinical trial. Within five days, he showed improvements in the limitations imposed by the condition.  video: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23569985#23569985
via http://www.youhavealawyer.com/blog/2008/03/26/cerebral-palsy-improvement/

“a toddler with cerebral palsy, who experienced dramatic improvements in his disability following an experimental procedure involving a stem cell transplant.” – http://pediatrics.duke.edu/modules/dept_peds_annc/index.php?id=79\

Cerebral Palsy: Cord Blood Stem Cell Research and Treatment in Clinical Trials – Update

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

For those of  you who follow our blogs, you know well that this is a topic of interest for us.  It bears repeating – our job as lawyers is to properly investigate potential claims of malpractice in areas such as cerebral palsy and seek redress for our clients when the evidence demonstrates a connection between birth injuries and medical care, but the much more important topic for our clients and victims of cerebral palsy is in the field of medical research. It is through research efforts – including clinical trials – that this dreaded condition will be ameliorated and hopefully eradicated. Trust me, after practicing law for over 35 years, I’m not worried about job security – the frailties of the human condition will more than suffice to fill our file cabinets with people to help due to the negligence of others.

We have reported previously on various topics involving cord blood and stem cell research as they relate to a number of conditions, including cerebral palsy.  It seems that months have passed since there has been any significant news about two programs underway: one at the Medical College of Georgia and the other at Duke.  Earlier this month, an update came across the social media network via a post by Singularity Hub – Cord Blood Stem Cell Treatment for Cerebral Palsy in Clinical Trial | Singularity Hub.

Here’s our encapsulated version regarding the studies and Singularity Hub’s report.

Photo provided by MSNBC

Duke University

According to the website ClincalTrials.gov, Duke began a clinical therapeutic trial – identifier: NCT00593242 - in January 2008 (estimated completion date of January 2011) whose primary purpose is listed as treatment of newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) – inadequate oxygenation in the perinatal period for purposes of this study – through the controlled “collection, preparation and infusion of a baby’s own (autologous) umbilical cord blood in the first 14 days after birth if the baby is born with signs of brain injury.” For information concerning the inclusion and exclusion criteria for participation in this clinical trial, see the online posting. Essentially, the babies are then to be “followed for neurodevelopmental outcome at 4 – 6 and 9 – 12 months at Duke’s Special Infant Care Clinic. MRI’s will be obtained between postnatal weeks 1 and 4, and, for study purposes at 4 – 6 postnatal months.”

While other aspects of processing and administration are no doubt part of the key components of this project, it is readily apparent that the end-point goal is discovery of an effective treatment of cerebral palsy for the identified neonates in the study and then development of a second stage clinical trial to take such treatment modality to a greater number of potential beneficiaries.

Medical College of Georgia

For detailed information on this study, which began in February of this year, similar information is available through ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01072370.  This clinical trial investigation has a patient population consisting of children from ages of 2 to 12, “whose parents have saved their infant’s cord blood, who have non-progressive motor disability, and whose parents intend to have a cord blood infusion.”  Again – for full details regarding inclusion and exclusion criteria, see the full online posting.

For those parents who may be interested in determining if their child would qualify to participate, the study is still recruiting participants.  The contact information is also available at this link: Contact: James E Carroll, M.D.     706-721-3371     jcarroll@mcg.edu

Today’s report from Singularity Hub provides some encouraging – albeit anecdotal – news of potential progress.

The anecdotal evidence in support of treating cerebral palsy with cord blood stem cells is astounding. Much of it has actually been been performed at Duke University by one of the investigators in the pilot study: Joanne Kurtzberg. Among those that have been successfully treated at Duke include Ryan Schneider, Maia Friedlander, Chloe Levine, and Dallas Hextell. All had CP or CP-like symptoms and all made remarkable recoveries after cord blood stem cell treatments. Dallas Hextell, who showed improvements just 5 days after his therapy was featured on the Today show (the original report contains video compliments of MSNBC).

In addition to the early good news coming out of these projects, one other lesson is learned – for the time being, the storage of cord blood is an important component for those hoping to participate in such studies – particularly that being conducted at the Medical College of Georgia.  We have earlier reported on this topic as well.  You may want to refer to our early posting for some basic information if you are interested.

Obviously, the implications – if these projects prove to be successful – are far-reaching. The enthusiasm of the participants in these research projects is not limited to them alone. The words of the author, Aaron Saenz, from Singularity Hub somewhat tells it all:

So we have some exciting news for cerebral palsy, and some exciting news for those thinking about cord blood. What about the rest of us? Well the MCG and Duke work has some far reaching implications. Neurological damage, whether it’s caused by oxygen deprivation or some other injury, is one of the most difficult things to heal in the body. Work in animals (like that done by Carroll on rats) show that stem cells can not only help damaged brain cells recover, but they can also replace cells that have died. We may find that stem cells therapies have a wide range of applications for many different forms of brain damage. Kurtzberg is researching many different ways cord blood could be used (autologous or through donors) to treat a variety of conditions. In other words, today stem cells conquer cerebral palsy…tomorrow, the world.

Let’s all hope that Mr. Saenz is a prophet.

 

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/the-challenging-life-of-a-young-man-with-cp-neil-barron/

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY and STROKE

• http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/stem-cells-safe-for-young-traumatic-brain-injury/
• http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/cellnews-scientists-learn-how-stem-cell-implants-help-heal-traumatic-brain-injury/
• http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/regenerating-the-central-nervous-system/
• http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/stem-cell-treatment-for-stroke-and-traumatic-brain-injury-wholewellness-net/
• http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/cord-blood-wakes-up-drowning-victim%e2%80%99s-brain/
• http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-stem-cells-block-stroke-damage
• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831160216.htm
• http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/stem-cell-gel-helps-repair-traumatic-brain-injuries-smartplanet/
• http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/stroke-stem-cells/

TO SEE IF YOU ARE A CANDIDATE FOR STEM CELL TREATMENT, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FOLLOWING FORM:  STEM CELL PATIENT QUESTIONNAIRE

I was told this was a con…here is my response:

My Stem Cells vs. Stroke page:
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/stroke-stem-cells/

Additional articles sorted by date (YEAR/MONTH/DAY):
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/stem-cells-safe-for-young-traumatic-brain-injury/
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/cellnews-scientists-learn-how-stem-cell-implants-help-heal-traumatic-brain-injury/

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831160216.htm
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/regenerating-the-central-nervous-system/

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/stem-cell-treatment-for-stroke-and-traumatic-brain-injury-wholewellness-net/
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/autologous-neural-stem-cells-benefit-parkinson%e2%80%99s-patients-adultstemcell-com/
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/stem-cell-treatment-for-stroke-and-traumatic-brain-injury-wholewellness-net/
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/cord-blood-wakes-up-drowning-victim%e2%80%99s-brain/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-stem-cells-block-stroke-damage
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/stem-cell-gel-helps-repair-traumatic-brain-injuries-smartplanet/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-stem-cells-block-stroke-damage
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/stem-cells-from-menstrual-blood-may-benefit-stroke-patients/

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/stem-cell-research-shows-adult-stem-cells-help-stroke-victims-adult-stem-cell-research/
http://www.texmedctr.tmc.edu/root/en/TMCServices/News/2009/07-01/Stem+Cells+Tested+for+Treatment+of+Stroke.htm

A con? Ok my skeptical friends, I understand. You’ve been researching stroke treatments for so long and been so disheartened you don’t believe your condition can ever improve. You’ve read all the outdated literature saying the central nervous system can not regrow (except for the most recent studies which prove it can be.) You’ve skimmed my articles and realize they are uncorroborated by “hard science.”

Fair enough. Ignore the 14 articles above which show the positive benefits of adult stem cells on stroke. You’re right, they are unsubstantiated. They are not peer reviewed medical journal articles. I appreciate your skepticism but know this:

*there are over 2,600 peer reviewed medical journal clinical trials that utilized adult stem cells with a record of safety and efficacy,
*there are many trials that cover the use of adult stem cells for stroke, ataxia, TBI, etc
*there are 60 trials that have the key words “adult stem cell” and “stroke.”
*there are 14 “Completed” trials that have the key words “adult stem cell” and “stroke.”

Research it yourself if you like. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=adult+stem+cell+stroke&pg=1&show_flds=Y

Here are only the 14 “completed” trials:

Completed	Efficacy Study of CD34 Stem Cell in Chronic Stroke Patients Conditions: Stroke;   Middle Cerebral Artery Infarction Interventions: Procedure: Intercerebral implantation of Autulogous Stem Cells;   Drug: convention therapy
Completed	Intravenous Autologous Bone Marrow-derived Stem Cells Therapy for Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Condition: Acute Stroke Intervention: Biological: Autologous bone marrow stem cell
Completed	Autologous Bone Marrow Stem Cells in Middle Cerebral Artery Acute Stroke Treatment. Conditions: Stroke, Acute;   Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery Intervention: Procedure: Infusion on autologous CD34+ stem cells into middle cerebral artery
Completed	Study of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Patients With Ischemic Stroke Condition: Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery Intervention: Other: Autologous cell transplantation

21	Completed	Granulocyte-colony Stimulating Factor for Stem Cells Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke Condition: Ischemic Stroke Intervention: Drug: Filgrastim
31	Completed	Sickle Cell Disease and Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) Condition: Sickle Cell Anemia Intervention: Procedure: Angiography
34	Completed	Investigating Endothelial Precursor Cells (EPCs) Condition: Central Nervous System Intervention:
38	Completed	Immunological Mechanisms of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Sclerosis Condition: Multiple Sclerosis Intervention: Procedure: Stem Cell Transplanataion
40	Completed	Gene Therapy for Gaucher’s and Fabry Disease Using Viruses and Blood-Forming Cells Condition: Gaucher’s Disease Intervention: Genetic: human glucocerebrosidase cDNA

51	Completed	Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics (PK) Study of Novel Neurogenic Compound NSI-189 Condition: Depression Intervention: Drug: NSI-189 Phosphate
52	Completed	Beta-hCG + Erythropoietin in Acute Stroke Condition: Acute Stroke Intervention: Drug: Beta-hCG + Erythropoietin
54	Completed	Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Autistic Children: A Pilot Study Conditions: Autism;   Oxidative Stress;   Inflammation Intervention: Drug: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
59	Completed	Effects of Enzyme Replacement in Gaucher’s Disease Condition: Gaucher’s Disease Intervention:
60	Completed	Incidence of Ocular Antibodies in Patients With Sturge – Weber Syndrome (SWS) Condition: Sturge - Weber Syndrome (SWS) Intervention:

 

 

If you still feel this is a con, tell me what you would need to see to prove otherwise. Respectfully, David

Search of: adult stem cell stroke – List Results – ClinicalTrials.gov

clinicaltrials.gov

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Stem Cells Safe for Young Traumatic Brain Injury

A Phase 1 clinical trial studying the safety of using bone marrow stem cells to treat traumatic brain injuries in children is reported. The procedures look to be safe even after 6 months of being applied. The image is adapted from a public domain image

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Safe for Young Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

Saturday March 3rd 2012

A procedure involving stem cells taken from patients’ own bone marrow to treat traumatic brain injury in children is safe, according to the results of a Phase 1 clinical trial.

The trial included 10 children aged 5-14 with severe traumatic brain injuries. Within 48 hours of their injuries, the children received stem cells processed from their own bone marrow.

Six months following the procedures, the children are showing no signs of further damage caused by the use of the stem cells. Though this study only points out that the procedure is safe so far, all of the children from the study had significant improvements.

Stem cell research studies such as this one are producing more and more evidence that stem cell treatments can be safe and effective.

With very few effective treatments for brain injury patients, these studies provide great promise for the future of medicine.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston press release below offers more details about this and other stem cell studies.

UTHealth study: Stem cells may provide treatment for brain injuries

Preliminary results show safety of bone marrow stem cells in traumatic brain injury

Stem cells derived from a patient’s own bone marrow were safely used in pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to results of a Phase I clinical trial at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The results were published in this month’s issue of Neurosurgery, the journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

“Our data demonstrate that the acute harvest of bone marrow and infusion of bone marrow mononuclear cells to acutely treat severe TBI in children is safe,” said Charles S. Cox, Jr., M.D., the study’s lead author and professor of pediatric neurosurgery at the UTHealth Medical School. The clinical trial, which included 10 children aged 5 to 14 with severe TBI, was done in partnership with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, where Cox is director of the pediatric trauma program.

All the children were treated within 48 hours of their injury with their own stem cells, which were collected from their bone marrow, processed and returned to them intravenously. UTHealth’s Department of Neurology is also currently testing the same bone marrow stem cell procedure in adults with acute stroke. In a separate trial, Cox is testing the safety of using a patient’s own cord blood stem cells for traumatic brain injury in children.

As a Phase I trial designed to look at feasibility and safety, the study did not assess efficacy. However, after six months of follow-up, all of the children had significant improvement and seven of the 10 children had a “good outcome,” meaning no or only mild disability.

Children who survive severe TBI are often left with serious complications and disability. Currently, there are no effective treatments to protect or promote repair of the brain in these brain-injured children.

Read more: Bone Marrow Stem Cells Safe for Young Traumatic Brain Injury Patients | Neuroscience News.

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CellNEWS: Scientists Learn How Stem Cell Implants Help Heal Traumatic Brain Injury

“In this study, we found that our stem cell transplantation both prevents further axonal injury and promotes axonal regrowth, through a number of previously unknown molecular mechanisms.”

Scientists Learn How Stem Cell Implants Help Heal Traumatic Brain Injury  
Friday, 13 January 2012

For years, researchers seeking new therapies for traumatic brain injury have been tantalized by the results of animal experiments with stem cells. In numerous studies, stem cell implantation has substantially improved brain function in experimental animals with brain trauma. But just how these improvements occur has remained a mystery.

Now, an important part of this puzzle has been pieced together by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. In experiments with both laboratory rats and an apparatus that enabled them to simulate the impact of trauma on human neurons, they identified key molecular mechanisms by which implanted human neural stem cells — stem cells that are in the process of developing into neurons but have not yet taken their final form — aid recovery from traumatic axonal injury.

A significant component of traumatic brain injury, traumatic axonal injury involves damage to axons and dendrites, the filaments that extend out from the bodies of the neurons. The damage continues after the initial trauma, since the axons and dendrites respond to injury by withdrawing back to the bodies of the neurons.

“Axons and dendrites are the basis of neuron-to-neuron communication, and when they are lost, neuron function is lost,” said UTMB professor Ping Wu, lead author of a paper on the research appearing in the Journal of Neurotrauma.

“In this study, we found that our stem cell transplantation both prevents further axonal injury and promotes axonal regrowth, through a number of previously unknown molecular mechanisms.”

 

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Read more: CellNEWS: Scientists Learn How Stem Cell Implants Help Heal Traumatic Brain Injury.

CellNEWS: Bone Marrow-derived Cells Differentiate in the Brain through Mechanisms of Plasticity

“This study shows a potential new contribution of bone marrow derived cells following transplantation into the brain, making these cells highly versatile, in their ability to both differentiate into and fuse with endogenous neurons“

Bone Marrow-derived Cells Differentiate in the Brain through Mechanisms of Plasticity
Monday, 19 December 2011

Bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMDCs) have been recognized as a source for transplantation because they can contribute to different cell populations in a variety of organs under both normal and pathological conditions. Many BMDC studies have been aimed at repairing damaged brain tissue or helping to restore lost neural function, with much research focused on BMDC transplants to the cerebellum at the back of the brain. In a recent study, a research team from Spain has found that BMDCs, can contribute to a variety of neural cell types in other areas of the brain as well, including the olfactory bulb, because of a mechanism of “plasticity”.

Their results are published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (20:8).

“To our knowledge, ours is the first work reporting the BMDC’s contribution to the olfactory neurons,” said study corresponding author Dr. Eduardo Weruaga of the University of Salamanca, Spain.

“We have shown for the first time how BMDCs contribute to the central nervous system in different ways in the same animal depending on the region and cell-specific factors.”

In this study, researchers grafted bone marrow cells into mutant mice suffering from the degeneration of specific neuronal populations at different ages, then compared them to similarly transplanted healthy controls. An increase in the number of BMDCs was found along the lifespan in both experimental groups. Six weeks after transplantation, however, more bone marrow-derived microglial cells were observed in the olfactory bulbs of the test animals where the degeneration of mitral cells was still in progress. The difference was not observed in the cerebellum where cell degeneration had been completed.

“Our findings demonstrate that the degree of neurodegenerative environment can foster the recruitment of neural elements derived from bone marrow,” explained Dr. Weruaga.

“But we also have provided the first evidence that BMDCs can contribute simultaneously to different encephalic areas through different mechanisms of plasticity – cell fusion for Purkinje cells – among the largest and most elaborately dendritic neurons in the human brain – and differentiation for olfactory bulb interneurons.”

Dr. Weruaga noted that they confirmed that BMDCs fuse with Purkinje cells but, unexpectedly, they found that the neurodegenerative environment had no effect on the behavior of the BMDCs.

“Interestingly, the contribution of BMDCs occurred through these two different plasticity mechanisms, which strongly suggests that plasticity mechanisms may be modulated by region and cell type-specific factors,” he said.

“This study shows a potential new contribution of bone marrow derived cells following transplantation into the brain, making these cells highly versatile, in their ability to both differentiate into and fuse with endogenous neurons” said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg , coeditor-in-chief of Cell Transplantation and distinguished professor of Neuroscience at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida.

Source: Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Contact: David Eve

Reference:

Bone Marrow Contributes Simultaneously to Different Neural Types in the Central Nervous System Through Different Mechanisms of Plasticity
Recio, J. S.; Álvarez-Dolado, M.; Díaz, D.; Baltanás, F. C.; Piquer-Gil, M.; Alonso, J. R.; Werunga, E.
Cell Transplant. 20(8):1179-1192; 2011

CellNEWS: Bone Marrow-derived Cells Differentiate in the Brain through Mechanisms of Plasticity.

Can MS be treated with stem cells?

For more information and to see if you are a candidate for adult stem cell treatment: http://bit.ly/PATIENTQUESTIONNAIRE

I did some digging and would like to present the preliminary results to answer the question:

Can MS be treated with stem cells?

SOME MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CLINICAL TRIALS

• Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis – 2002 clinical trial based on data collected from TWENTY medical institutes around the world.  Conclusion: Autologous HSCT suggest positive early results in the management of progressive MS and is feasible – http://www.springerlink.com/content/1b19ldgyecqvny3w/
• Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Sep 16, 1999  These results appear better than those achieved by any other treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis, including beta-interferon… – http://www.springerlink.com/index/H6X0866N90633266.pdf
• “Dose of stem cells reverses some MS” - January 31, 2009 – STUDY – “A dose of their own stem cells “reset” the malfunctioning immune system of patients with early-stage multiple sclerosis and, for the first time, reversed their disability, according to researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago. Three years after being treated, on average, 17 of the 21 patients had improved on tests, suffering fewer problems with their balance or vision, 16 had experienced no relapse, and none had deteriorated.  This marks the first “reversal” of neurologic loss caused by this disease, says Richard Burt of Northwestern University in Chicago.
• More – http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/multiple-sclerosis-and-stem-cells-need-more-info/

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Can MS be treated with stem cells?

You decide. Here are 11 articles from my blog,  28,000 from google news and there are a total of 20 clinical trials from clinicaltrials.gov

From my blog…

Autologous Stem Cell Transplants, Visible Progress in 8 of 10 Patients

***http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/ms-and-stem-cells-time-is-brain-in-ms/

*** http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/my-ms-pain-is-gone/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/fat-derived-stem-cells-might-treat-ms-us-news-and-world-report/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/15/britt%e2%80%99s-fight-against-multiple-sclerosis-hits-home-for-uncw-starnewsonlinecom-star-news-wilmington-nc/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/stem-cell-breakthrough-may-lead-to-ms-treatments-forbescom/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/my-battle-with-and-victory-over-ms-by-preston-walker-part-2/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/my-battle-with-and-victory-over-ms-by-preston-walker-part-1/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/study-stem-cell-transplants-could-reverse-ms-cloning-and-stem-cells-msnbccom/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/foxnewscom-college-student-with-multiple-sclerosis-symptom-free-after-stem-cell-treatment-health-news-current-health-news-medical-news/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/stem-cells-ms-multiple-sclerosis-cured-by-adult-stem-cells-video-stem-cell-research-and-stem-cell-therapy/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/multiple-sclerosis-ms-stem-cell-trials-us-is-starting-to-%e2%80%9ccatch-up%e2%80%9d/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/the-us-is-playing-catch-up-with-stem-cells-ms/

* * * http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/stem-cell-transplants-help-ms-victims/

…and about 28,000 scholarly papers/studys on “MS stem cell” here:
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=multiple%20sclerosis%20trial%20stem%20cell&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=ws\

…and 20 responses from clinicaltrials.gov on “multiple sclerosis stem cell”
http://clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/results?term=multiple+sclerosis+stem+cell

For more information and to see if you are a candidate for adult stem cell treatment: http://bit.ly/PATIENTQUESTIONNAIRE

Brain shrinks a decade before Alzheimer’s appears

Brain shrinks a decade before Alzheimer’s appears

By Julie Steenhuysen – CHICAGO | Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:09pm EDT

(Reuters) – Brain scans of healthy people showed signs that the brain was shrinking in Alzheimer’s-affected areas nearly a decade before the disease was diagnosed, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

The finding, published in the journal Neurology, may offer a new way to detect the disease early, an advance that could help in the development of effective treatments for Alzheimer’s, a brain-wasting disease that affects up to 26 million people globally…

Read more…

STEM CELLS CURE DEPRESSION?

“…depressed patients show a reduction in a process called neurogenesis — the development of new brain cells. Researchers believe this reduced neurogenesis may contribute to the debilitating psychological symptoms of depression, such as low mood or impaired memory.”

“For the first time in a clinically relevant model, we were able to show that antidepressants produce more stem cells and also accelerate their development into adult brain cells…”

Conclusion: The safe implantation of stem cells into the brain should generate increased stemcell/brain cell generation, thereby mitigating the “debilitating psychological symptoms of depression, such as low mood or impaired memory” – dg

Study reveals new target for antidepressants | Reuters.