Title:Cell-based Treatment of Cerebral Palsy: Still a Long Way Ahead
Volume: 17
Issue: 8
Author(s): Mohammad Shariati, Reza Jafarzadeh Esfahani, Hamid Reza Bidkhori, Ehsan Sabouri, Shadi Mehrzad and Ariane Sadr-Nabavi*
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of
Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical
Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Center, Academic Center for Education, Culture,
and Research (ACECR)-Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad, Iran
Keywords:
Cerebral palsy, cell therapy, clinical trial, cell-based therapy, stem cells, regenerative medicine.
Abstract:
Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a permanent neurodevelopmental disorder with considerable
global disability. Various rehabilitation strategies are currently available. However, none
represents a convincing curative result. Cellular therapy recently holds much promise as an alternative
strategy to repair neurologic defects.
Method: In this narrative review, a comprehensive search of the MEDLINE and ClinicalTrials.gov
was made, using the terms: “cell therapy” and “cerebral palsy”, including published and registered
clinical studies, respectively.
Results: The early effects of these studies demonstrated that using cell therapy in CP patients is
safe and improves the deficits for a variable duration. Despite such hopeful early bird results, the
long-term outcomes are not conclusive.
Conclusions: Due to the heterogeneous nature of CP, personal factors seem essential to consider.
Cell dosage, routes of administration, and repeated dosing are pivotal to establish optimal personalized
treatments. Future clinical trials should consider employing other cell types, specific cell modifications
before administration, and cell-free platforms.
