New Study Investigates Multiple Sclerosis & Stem Cells

In a recently published study, scientists investigated the use of stem cells in mice with multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that can cause permanent disability. MS causes damage to the nerves in the brain and spine, which can lead to issues in the nervous system and communication within certain areas of the body. Because the nervous system controls practically every aspect of the body, MS can cause nearly any kind of symptom including:

• Digestion Problems
• Urinary Incontinence
• Blindness
• Depression
• Loss of Motor Control
• Sensory Problems
• And more

In short, almost any kind of condition could be MS in disguise. On average, patients who’ve been diagnosed with MS will go on to live 30 more years after the diagnosis. Due to the nature of the disease, one person’s symptoms could be entirely different than the other person. For example, one person may be unable to walk while someone else could be blind and mentally disabled. As such, MS has varying degrees of severity that can significantly impact one’s quality of life as well as their lifespan.

Current Treatments for Multiple Sclerosis

While there are numerous therapies and prescription drugs for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, it is a challenging condition to treat and it often requires a multi-pronged approach due to the possibility of so many different symptoms.

And because patients with multiple sclerosis often have to take a cocktail of different prescription drugs, there are usually many different side-effects that they can suffer from. Because of this, as many as 50% of the multiple sclerosis population use alternative treatment methods.

Stem Cells May Be the Answer

In a recently published study, scientists were able to reduce inflammation and alleviate some of the damage caused by multiple sclerosis in mice after injecting stem cells into their central nervous system.

Stem cells are sometimes called “master cells” because they can also become nearly any type of cell in the human body. For example, stem cells can begin skill cells, organ cells, and even cartilage cells. In addition, they can replicate and duplicate themselves, which makes them potent and fascinating at the same time.

While stem cells can be derived from human embryos, they also can come from animal embryos and even from your own body. Because stem cells derived from embryos have led to concerns regarding ethical and legal practices, the current scientific evidence on the therapeutic potential of stem cells is limited but beginning to grow every day. In fact, there are some clinics throughout the world that use stem cells derived from your own body that are then injected into the injured or damaged tissue. Some of these treatments are backed by clinical studies and many patients report a positive outcome after only a single treatment.

A Potential Solution for Chronic Pain and Other Inflammatory Conditions

The researchers who injected stem cells into the mice concluded that stem cells may have the potential to treat other chronic inflammatory diseases. Conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and neuropathy all may benefit from stem cells.