STEM CELL TREATMENT
Stem cells are primal cells that can divide and differentiate to become like any other more specialized cells in your body. Stem cells zero in on low oxygen environments, and once in place, start fixing the damage.
Types of Stem Cells
The three types of stem cells are embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and cord blood stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the most controversial because they are harvested from human embryos, while the other stem cells can be obtained from adult tissue or from the umbilical cord and placenta of newborn babies and their mothers without damage to them.
Why use stem cells for children with autism?
Children with autism suffer from two major conditions:
What is the source of the stem cells used to treat autism and how are they obtained?
Procedures and protocols vary depending on the facility. However, the majority of facilities treating autism seem to use adult stem cells derived from fresh human umbilical cord. These stem cells are taken from donated umbilical cords. Before they are approved for treatment, all umbilical cord-derived stem cells are screened for viruses and bacteria to International Blood Bank Standards.
Umbilical cord-derived stem cells are ideal for the treatment of autism because they do not require any stem cell collection from the patient, which for autistic children and their parents, can be an arduous process.
How are the stem cells administered for autism treatment?
The umbilical cord-derived stem cells are administered intravenously by a licensed physician. Depending upon the age and physical size of the patient, the stem cells might also be administered into the spinal fluid by an anesthesiologist. Injecting the stem cells into the spinal fluid allows the stem cells to bypass the blood-brain barrier and migrate throughout the central nervous system. Most protocols take about 5 days to complete and involve follow up at regular intervals for the next several years.
Side Effects/Risks
Sources
http://bodyecology.com/articles/autism_stem_cells_the_world_needs_to_know.php
http://www.cellmedicine.com/treatment/autism/
Types of Stem Cells
The three types of stem cells are embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and cord blood stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the most controversial because they are harvested from human embryos, while the other stem cells can be obtained from adult tissue or from the umbilical cord and placenta of newborn babies and their mothers without damage to them.
Why use stem cells for children with autism?
Children with autism suffer from two major conditions:
- Hypoperfusion - decreased blood flow to the brain. The brain does not receive enough oxygen and cannot function normally. Any time there is not enough blood flowing to the brain, brain cells become inflamed and make more nitric oxide. This opens up the cells to receive too much calcium, which damages the mitochondria (that make the energy for cells). As a result, the brain cells die from lack of food.
- Immune Dysregulation - immune systems that do not respond normally to stimulation. When the body signals to the immune system that it needs help (like when the brain becomes inflamed) the proper immune response and subsequent healing do not occur in children with autism. Instead, children with autism often have continually suppressed immune systems, chronic inflammation, and suffer from autoimmune responses. (An autoimmune response happens when your body does not recognize your cells as your own and actually attacks the good cells).
- Cord blood CD34+ stem cells injected into the patient improve blood flow to the brain, which supplies the brain with more oxygen and results in improved central nervous system functioning.
- Mesenchymal stem cells (type of adult stem cells) are used to heal immune dysregulation and can also suppress the inflammation in children with autism and address their fundamental immune abnormality.
What is the source of the stem cells used to treat autism and how are they obtained?
Procedures and protocols vary depending on the facility. However, the majority of facilities treating autism seem to use adult stem cells derived from fresh human umbilical cord. These stem cells are taken from donated umbilical cords. Before they are approved for treatment, all umbilical cord-derived stem cells are screened for viruses and bacteria to International Blood Bank Standards.
Umbilical cord-derived stem cells are ideal for the treatment of autism because they do not require any stem cell collection from the patient, which for autistic children and their parents, can be an arduous process.
How are the stem cells administered for autism treatment?
The umbilical cord-derived stem cells are administered intravenously by a licensed physician. Depending upon the age and physical size of the patient, the stem cells might also be administered into the spinal fluid by an anesthesiologist. Injecting the stem cells into the spinal fluid allows the stem cells to bypass the blood-brain barrier and migrate throughout the central nervous system. Most protocols take about 5 days to complete and involve follow up at regular intervals for the next several years.
Side Effects/Risks
- Embryonic stem cells have shown a propensity to develop into cancer cells. We do not know long term risks associated with using umbilical cord stems cells (the ones typically used for autism treatments) because stem cell therapy is still in the research phase in the U.S. (i.e., not FDA approved/still doing animal testing)
- Contracting a virus/bacteria from donor cells
- Fever, headache, nausea, vomiting (usually experienced during first 24 hours)
- Pain at the injection site
- Graft-versus-host disease (stem cells view the recipient’s body as foreign, and the stem cells attack the body)
Sources
http://bodyecology.com/articles/autism_stem_cells_the_world_needs_to_know.php
http://www.cellmedicine.com/treatment/autism/
