There is currently no known cure for the dreaded form of motor neuron disease known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It unavoidably causes both death and a progressive decline in one’s quality of life. The only thing that medications have been able to do up until now is slow this disease’s progression. But a fresh glimmer of optimism has appeared in the distance. But what exactly is this novel therapy that everyone believes has the ability to treat ALS? It’s stem cells for ALS treatment. The medical community is taking notice of this novel therapy. Although there is no complete treatment for ALS, it is claimed to have the ability to reverse the disease.
Of course, clinical trials are still being conducted. Nonetheless, as of now, they are showing encouraging results. It has been shown that stem cells have the capacity to both replenish and repair damaged neurons.
How can stem cells help in ALS?
Stem cells have the ability to regenerate and repair damaged nerve cells. They protect already-existing healthy neurons, according to several studies as well. It is simple to understand how stem cells can assist in treating the disease because we already know that motor neurons are injured in ALS. Currently, the bulk of clinical trials makes use of mesenchymal stem cells that are produced from bone marrow.
Why is it a good option?
This is due to a number of factors. The fact that there is no medication to treat ALS at the moment is the main factor. The preferred medication, riluzole, only partially slows the disease’s progression.
Stem cell therapy, on the other hand, some with ALS have seen sustained improvements in their symptoms. This ultimately enhances your quality of life. In contrast to previous medical treatments, stem cell therapy for ALS patients also produces new nerve cells to replace the injured ones.
The success rate of stem cell therapy
Three to five years after ALS diagnosis, the majority of patients die. During this time, they continue to get worse. Stem cell treatment for ALS aid in slowing the disease’s progression. Additionally, they raise people’s quality of life. The effectiveness percentage of stem cell therapy for ALS ranges from 67 to 80%. Not only do the symptoms of these people improve, but they often live longer than expected.
The promising outcomes of stem cell therapy’s experimental investigations could encourage its use in clinical settings for the treatment of ALS. However, the possibility of its clinical application depends on the solution to a few important problems. Cell replacement therapy must undergo thorough testing in standardised in vitro experiments before being put to use in rigorous clinical trials on humans. Although there is still a long way to go, using human stem cells to treat ALS is still a realistic and optimistic option.
