Stem Cell Therapy: A Stroke Recovery Breakthrough in 2023?

A stroke is a medical condition that affects the brain but also involves the cardiovascular system. Its effects can be very serious, as it can affect how a person moves, feels, speaks, and even sees.

The causes of a stroke are well-researched, and as a result, there is a lot known about how to manage this condition too. However, in many instances, a patient may not be able to fully recover from it, especially in severe cases. This can potentially leave a person dependent on others for their daily tasks.

However, there is a potentially revolutionary option in the form of stem cell therapy for stroke. Stem cells may be able to repair the damage in a way that no other treatment currently can. This article will talk about this disease, what can cause it, and how stem cells may be a breakthrough in treatment.

What is a stroke?

A stroke is a disease characterized by the death of cells in the brain due to them not getting enough oxygen. It may also be referred to as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).

This is either caused by severely reduced blood flow due to a blockage in an artery, classified as ischemic, or due to a ruptured vessel causing bleeding in the brain, which is classified as hemorrhagic.

What are the symptoms?

Regardless of the cause, the effects of a stroke can be very serious. It can be one of the most disabling conditions a person can deal with, which makes it easier to understand why stem cell research for stroke victims is becoming a bigger thing.

The symptoms depend largely on the part of the brain that was affected. However, below are common symptoms of a CVA:

• Difficulty speaking, with slurred speech, for instance;

• Difficulty understanding speech;

• Loss of sensation in one side of the body;

• Paralysis of parts of the body, such as a drooping smile, drooping eyelids, or limb weakness on one side of the body;

• Disturbed balance and coordination;

• Visual impairment;

• Urinary or fecal incontinence.

What causes a stroke?

The causes of this disease depend on whether it is ischemic or hemorrhagic.

An ischemic stroke is usually caused by a blood clot forming in the brain’s vessels, or being carried to the brain from another part of the body. This clot clogs the artery and prevents blood containing oxygen and nutrients from reaching some parts of the brain. After some time, the part of the brain that is starved of blood may die.

On the other hand, a hemorrhagic stroke is caused when one of the arteries in the brain ruptures and bleeds into the tissue around it. This bleeding will form a collection of blood known as a hematoma, and as it grows, it presses on the brain tissue around it. This pressure and impaired blood flow can also result in the death of parts of the brain.

What is an ischemic stroke?

Over 70% of strokes are ischemic, so it is important to know more about this form of the disease.

Atherosclerosis, which is the primary culprit behind ischemic strokes, is characterized by thickened walls in arteries in the body, because of fatty plaque building up. You’re more likely to have atherosclerosis if you have high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, are physically inactive, or smoke.

The plaque promotes the development of blood clots which might either originate in the brain (a thrombus) or break free from where they formed elsewhere in the body and find their way to the brain (an embolus). Once a thrombus or embolus blocks an artery, it cuts off the blood supply. When not treated immediately, it leads to ischemic CVA.

How does stem cell therapy help in cardiovascular diseases?

With more money and effort invested into stem cell research, stroke patients will potentially be able to reduce their symptoms or their severity by a significant amount. This all comes down to how stem cells work.

Since stem cells are yet to finalize into any kind of cell, they can be used to take the place of damaged cells that are incapable of repair, such as in the brain after a CVA.

However, these cells may also be capable of producing substances that can stimulate new cell growth around them and reduce inflammation in the damaged area.

So, for cardiovascular diseases like a heart attack or CVA where tissues that normally can’t regenerate die, stem cells provide an opportunity to replace them with fresh new cells. Stem cell treatment for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases can be a major breakthrough in managing this condition.

Can stem cells help stroke patients?

When it comes to stem cells and stroke, there is more than enough evidence to show that these treatments can improve the clinical state of a person.

One study from 2017 was able to show that therapy with stem cells is majorly safe (DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30046-7). However, this applies only to stem cells derived from adult human tissues, not fetal or embryonic ones.

Another paper did a meta-analysis of 14 different studies which utilized stem cell therapy stroke (DOI: https://doi.org/10.15283/ijsc.2014.7.2.63). The consensus was that stem cells were effective in the treatment of CVA.

All this really shows is that there is a lot of potential in using the power of stem cells to manage the symptoms of this condition.

Final thoughts

A stroke can be caused by a blood clot preventing blood flow in the brain, or a vessel rupturing. This condition can leave a person a shadow of themself, unable to speak, move, or even feel freely.

However, by tapping into the power of stem cells from Swiss Medica for stroke, there is a lot of potential that can be benefitted from. This treatment has been shown to be safe and effective, giving the potential for significant improvement for patients.

While you might want to stick to physiotherapy and speech therapy, these can be slow and draining. Why not tap into the power of stem cells to reduce the burden that stroke has on you or your loved one?