Adult stem cells and multiple sclerosis

In MS, the immune system malfunctions destroying the myelin which is the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. What research is underway? When the surrounding protective myelin is damaged and the nerve fibers are exposed, the messages traveling along the nerve become slow or potentially blocked. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter your comment here Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation AHSCT AHSCT is being investigated as a treatment for severe immune-mediated conditions such as MS. It provides a forum for generating observations and testing why they occur. Stem cells have the potential to help treat many different conditions, including MS.

That means you've had serious MS relapses and your symptoms have gotten worse quickly because other treatments haven't helped. But more research is needed to know how well HSCT works against it. You'll next get high doses of chemotherapy and other strong medications to severely slow down your immune system. That makes it hard for your brain to "talk" with the rest of your body and causes symptoms like weakness, tingling or numbness in your limbs, trouble speaking, chronic pain, depression, and vision loss. Stem cells can turn into different kinds of cells in your body. Ask your doctor about clinical trials that are testing HSCT. Treatment usually takes several weeks.

Within hours after being approved for the adult stem cell transplant trial, Barry and Anne booked their non-stop flight to Chicago and arrived at Northwestern Hospital. These trials are a way for people to try new medicines that aren't available to everyone. You probably will need to have had MS for 10 years or less and be able to walk. RRMS eventually can turn into another form of the disease, where your symptoms don't ever go away. Most people who get it are taking part in research studies called clinical trials that test if a treatment or medication is safe and effective.