Stem cell treatment helps improve spinal cord injuries, according to a clinical study led by researchers at Keio University in Japan. The research marks the first time patients with spinal cord injuries have shown functional motor recovery following treatment with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The team transplanted two million iPSC-derived cells into each of four patients who had lost movement and sensation due to spinal cord injuries.
One year after the procedure, two of the patients exhibited meaningful improvements in motor ability. The findings highlight how stem cell treatment helps improve spinal cord injuries in cases previously considered untreatable. One elderly patient, injured in an accident, progressed from the lowest motor function level, A, to level D, gaining the ability to stand without assistance. Another patient advanced to level C and regained the ability to eat independently.
While the other two patients did not show improvement, none experienced serious side effects. Researchers noted that traditional rehabilitation yields a two-level recovery in only about 10 percent of cases classified at level A. These results suggest that the new treatment offers a significantly improved outlook, reinforcing the potential of regenerative medicine. Induced pluripotent stem cells are adult cells reprogrammed to an embryonic-like state, capable of transforming into a range of cell types.
Their application in spinal cord injury therapy offers a promising and ethically sound alternative to embryonic stem cells. In Japan, where approximately 5,000 new spinal cord injuries are reported each year, the need for new therapies remains urgent. The team plans to begin formal clinical trials in pursuit of government approval for the treatment protocol. This breakthrough adds to the growing evidence that stem cell treatment helps improve spinal cord injuries, offering a new level of hope for recovery and mobility. – By MENA Newswire News Desk.