Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : March 15, 2018 3:41 PM IST
Neurological disorders are among the most frightening illnesses that many people face. Living with a neurological disorder is a complex challenge. A person suffering from a neurological condition like multiple sclerosis may find it difficult to walk, talk and perform simple household tasks due to weakness in the legs and hands. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition that causes demyelination of the nerve cells. Myelin sheath is a thin sheet that covers the nerve cells and in people suffering from MS, it is damaged. Although there is not much clarity on the causes of MS, it is believed that there is some problem with the immune system. In most cases, MS is treated by giving steroids or internal fluids, which is known the improve the condition. Of late, there have been cases of stem cell therapy that showed promising results in people with MS. However, not much information is available about stem cell therapy (SCT) for MS. Dr Na'eem Sadiq, Neurologist and Founder, Plexus Neuro & Stem Cell Research Centre explains in detail about SCT and MS.
Stem cell therapy for MS -- what is it?
A common therapy is a defect in the immune system can cause multiple sclerosis. Stem cell therapy is a procedure that regulates the immune system. It modifies the immune system by aiding in the production of new cells which repairs the myelin sheath.
Who can get SCT done?
Everyone can undergo SCT for multiple sclerosis. However, there are few things an expert will go through before admitting a patient for SCT.
How is SCT performed?
The entire treatment program is spread over few months. Initially, basic tests for MS like MRI are recommended to establish the diagnosis followed by lab tests for complete assessment of the condition. After diagnosis and knowing the severity of the condition, stem cells are taken. For this, blood is drawn from the hip bone ((iliac crest which is the bone on waist) and a blood test is conducted. The procedure is done under local anaesthesia and it is a one-day process. The entire test takes around 2- 4 minutes. In this, cells from bone marrow are studies in stem cell lab. In the lab, mother cells known as Mesenchymal stem cells or progenitor cells are separated. These cells have the ability to form any cells in the body based on the lineage. Hence, when the cells are injected into the brain, the grow as nerve cells and if injected into the kidney, they grow as renal cells.
In people with MS, these stem cells are injected into CSS (cerebrospinal space). These cells then travel to the brain, where they identify the determined cell and latch onto the cells (just like clot formation). Hence, the cells slowly start to divide and the natural healing mechanism begins.
In addition to the treatment, a person with MS has to undergo lifestyle modifications, eat a healthy nutrition, supplements, physiotherapy, occupation therapy, acupuncture, massages and speech therapy (customised approach) for overall improvement.
Are there any side effects of SCT?
As per the expert, there are no side-effects of the treatment. As of now, no cases of severe reaction or allergy due to SCT has been reported. Moreover, the rate of improvement in people with MS after SCT is 40 - 70%.
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