Can cerebral palsy be treated with stem cells?

Mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord are considered to be universal donor cells because they are not immediately recognized as foreign. The cells home to damaged tissue and are known to secrete molecules called trophic factors.
Trophic factors from mesenchymal stem cells are known to stimulate repair of damaged nervous tissue in both the brain and the spinal cord. Some of these are neurotrophic factors that promote neuronal growth, induce new blood vessel growth, neurogenesis and astroglial activation, encourage synaptic connection and axonal remyelination, decrease programed cell death, and regulate microglial activation.
Mesenchymal stem cells stimulate brain repair after stroke1 and traumatic brain injury.
Animal studies show that mesenchymal stem cell can migrate into the brain and survive.
Because we utilize allogeneic cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells, we are able to offer treatment to any qualified patient, not just those who saved their own cord blood at birth. We will discuss several additional advantages of allogeneic cord-derived stem cells below.
There is evidence to support that bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells are safe and improve the quality of life in children with neurological disorders including cerebral palsy.
Which kinds of stem cells are utilized for CP treatment and how are they collected?
The Stem Cell Institute leverages adult stem cells from human umbilical cord tissue to treat cerebral palsy. These stem cells are harvested from donated umbilical cords. In accordance with International Blood Bank standards, all umbilical cord-derived stem cells are rigorously screened for viruses and bacteria at Medistem Labs before they are approved for use in patients.

In some cases, stem cells harvested from the patient’s own bone marrow are used in addition to umbilical cord tissue-derived cells.