Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke in India: A Detailed Overview

Overview

Stroke causes long-term disability, and lately it is becoming a significant cause affecting people’s ability to live an everyday life globally. Disability contributes to the increased mortality rate as well. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted due to clotting (ischemic stroke) or excessive bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke). The stroke has several consequences, the main ones being paralysis and loss of cognitive functions. Many patients experience emotional disruptions, speech impairments, movement disruptions, etc. These consequences occur based on the area of the brain that is affected. 

Treatment for Brain Stroke 

Standard brain stroke treatments are available, ranging from surgery to thrombolysis. These treatments are used as immediate support to minimize the impact and deal with the acute phase experienced by the patients. However, the stroke leaves damages, which require long-term recovery treatment and regeneration support to revive the damaged tissues in the brain. Some immediate therapies include physiotherapy, neuro-exercises, and stem cell therapies. 

Stem Cell Therapy for Brain Stroke 

Stem cell therapy is still in the trial and research phase in India. However, the results from the research and trials so far indicate very promising outcomes. The regenerative capabilities of the stem cells are making positive different in the healing and recovery process of the patients, who have suffered from stroke. 

Stem cell therapy supports the idea of recovering the patient’s brain cells by harnessing the potential of healthy stem cells, which have the ability to transform into different types of body cells, including neurons. This helps in promoting neurological regeneration in the patient’s brain and restores normal functioning of the brain. There are two types of stem cell therapies used potentially for stroke patients – allogenic stem cell therapy and autologous stem cell therapy. In this article, we’ll focus on autologous stem cell therapy. 

Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke in India

Autologous stem cell therapy uses a patient’s own stem cells to heal the damaged parts of the brain. The best thing about this type of therapy is that in this treatment, the patient him/herself is the donor. Therefore, the risk of stem cells causing immune rejection in the patient’s body is negligible. These stem cells carry the potential to help the patient’s brain cells heal and recover from the damage. The improved neural regeneration helps in restoring lost and disturbed functions of the brain. 

India is becoming the global center for clinical trials and research for stem cell therapy. The country offers advanced medical infrastructure, high-tech medical facilities, and an efficient medical workforce. What tops the entire offering is that all of these services are provided at a very low cost as compared to other Western countries. Autologous stem cell therapy for stroke in India is a promising avenue, and the world is already witnessing remarkable results. The country’s medical authorities have laid down the guidelines and protocols. The advanced facilities (including medical care centers, research institutions, and hospitals) follow these guidelines while conducting the approved clinical trials and research projects. 

How Stroke Affects a Patient’s Health?

Stroke may have several types of damage to the brain, depending upon which area of the brain is affected by the interrupted blood supply. Some of the key consequences that patients suffer include:

• Paralysis
• Weakness in different parts of the body (hemiplegia or hemiparesis)
• Impairment in motor abilities
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty in speaking
• Difficulty in understanding the speech
• Dysfunction in cognitive abilities
• Memory damage
• Difficult in concentration and focus 
• Numbness 
• Disturbed sensation in different parts of the body
• Emotional disturbance, including depression, anxiety, and other mood/personality changes

Mechanism of Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke

Autologous stem cells have the ability to aid in the stroke symptoms and after effects using the following key mechanisms: 

• Stem cells can provide Neuroprotection by releasing neurotrophic factors. These factors are proteins that help neurons grow and survive. This therapy is particularly important in the hours and days that come after the stroke to help repair the vulnerable brain tissues. This also prevents the secondary stroke, which may be caused by stress and inflammation. 
• Autologous therapy is helpful in the formation of new neurons. This is considered as one of the highly promising abilities of this therapy. The autologous stem cells can differentiate into glial cells as well as neurons. This helps in restoration of the lost functions of the brain, adding to the improvement of speech, memory and cognitive abilities. 
• The autologous stem cells, especially the Mesenchymal (MSCs,) are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. They help in reducing the inflammation caused by the stroke, which reduces the risk of further strokes and damages caused by the previous stroke. 
• Stem cells have the ability to form new blood vessels, called Angiogenesis. The promotion of angiogenesis in the brain improves brain function and heals the damaged areas. It also helps in improving the overall blood supply in the brain. 
• Stem cells help in the stimulation of neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain to form new neural connections. As a result, the patient can regain their lost motor and cognitive skills.  

Key Types of Autologous Stem Cells

The stem cells used in autologous therapies are mainly mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These cells are known for their regenerative and inflammation-reducing properties. Here are the key sources for sourcing these stem cells:

• Bone Marrow
• Adipose (Fat) tissues
• Peripheral Blood-Derived Stem Cells

The stem cells derived from bone marrow are rich in hematopoietic abilities. They’re harvested from the hip bones of the patient by providing local anesthesia. The stem cells harvested from adipose tissues are collected in a minimally invasive manner. Peripheral Blood-Derived Stem Cells are taken from the patient’s peripheral blood through a less invasive method. However, this method yields a lesser amount of stem cells compared to others. 

Key Steps of Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke in India

The therapy is under trial in India, and therefore, it is available at the approved clinics and medical care facilities. After the thorough examination of the medical history of the patient, the experts begin the treatment as per the guidelines and protocols outlined by the medical authorities in the country. The key steps involved in this process include the following:

• Assessment, medical evaluation, and consultation.
• Harvesting the stem cells.
• Processing of the stem cells.
• Infusing the stem cells into the patient’s body.
• Administering the stem cells.
• Post-treatment care and rehabilitation.

Key Benefits of Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke

However, the autologous stem cell therapy is still a trial procedure in India and requires a lot of research. The results shown so far, based on the ongoing results and trial, are promising. They point towards a bright future. Here are the key benefits associated with autologous stem cell therapy observed in the research so far:

• Improvement in motor function helps the patients experience better mobility, improved muscle strength, and improved brain function. 
• The patient experiences improvement in cognitive function, such as improved memory, focus, and attention. 
• The patient experiences different kinds of disabilities, which are likely to be reversed with the help of generative therapy. 

FAQs

Is stem cell therapy safe?

Stem cell therapy is under clinical trials and comes with minor risks of immune rejection or allergic reactions. So far, these symptoms are controlled by medications, but, since there’s more data required to reach any conclusion, there’s room for more information on it in the future. 

What is autologous stem cell therapy?

Autologous stem cell therapy derives the stem cells from the patient’s own body. This has less chances of immune system rejecting the cells.

What is allogenic stem cell therapy?

Allogenic stem cell therapy is where a donor is involved. The stem cells are taken from a donor’s body, programmed and then infused into the patient’s body.  

What is a stroke?

Stroke affects the brain cells of the human body due to a disrupted blood supply. There are two types of strokes: 1) Ischemic Stroke, which occurs when there’s an interruption in blood supply due to clotting in the vessels. 2) Hemorrhagic Stroke takes place when a vessel in the brain ruptures, which leads to bleeding inside or around the brain. 

What is the role of stem cell therapy for stroke patients?

Stem cell therapy helps in the regeneration of the damaged brain cells caused by a brain stroke. This helps in improving the disturbed cognitive functions and restore brain’s normal activity.