Aging is a normal part of life. Although, for some, the aging process is far less kind: older people spend their last few years of life in pain and in many cases, see a rapid decline in their cognitive abilities and function. At a time when people should be celebrating their lives and all they have had the opportunity to enjoy, they are struggling to pay for expensive medications and may not have the wherewithal to understand what is happening to them. Much work is being done to help prevent or reverse the effects of conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and other brain degenerative diseases and when stem cells came on the scene, hope moved in a different direction.

Divide and Conquer

As stem cells divide, they can either continue to divide or they can become new cells. The main focus of a stem cell is to repair damaged cells, but in instances where cells cannot be repaired, stem cells may replace them altogether creating new cells. With the ability to multiply and divide, stem cells are, in theory, unlimited in nature and the more we learn about how they work, the more we can study and apply those new findings to treatments and prevention. When it comes to brain degeneration, a lot of the research is focusing on Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s and Dementia because these diseases rob people not only of their quality of life but in many ways, their life. Without memories or acknowledgment of who we are, it’s difficult to measure the kind of life one may enjoy.

According to a report released in 2009 in the International Journal of Health Sciences, “Neural stem cell (NSC) grafts present a potential and innovative strategy for the treatment of many disorders of the central nervous system including AD, with the possibility of providing a more permanent remedy than present drug treatments. After grafting, these cells have the capacity to migrate to lesioned regions of the brain and differentiate into the necessary type of cells that are lacking in the diseased brain, supplying it with the cell population needed to promote recovery.”

Other Areas of Hope

The beautiful thing about stem cell therapies is that they remain limitless in their potential and application. As a field of study, we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of what is possible here. One study that lasted nearly 20 years, provided a great deal of insight into the hope that stem cell treatments provide patients who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis:

“After treatment, syndrome of early post-transplant improvement was observed in 70% of patients, its main manifestations being decreased weakness, improved appetite and mood, decreased depression. In the course of first post-treatment months, positive dynamics was observed in the following aspects: Nystagmus, convergence disturbances, spasticity, and coordination. In such symptoms as dysarthria, dysphagia, and ataxia, positive changes occurred at [a] much slower rate. In general, the treatment resulted in improved range and quality of motions in the extremities, normalized muscle tone, decreased fatigue and general weakness, and improved quality of life.”

In many cases, patients have gone on to experience lasting changes in their health. Studies and research continue to improve upon the possibilities presented by stem cells and more people are learning of the opportunities that exist. The work that SCI does incorporates education and information into its mandate: it’s important people know what options are out there to help them and their family members take on such debilitating diseases.

For more information about stem cells and how SCI is bringing stem cells to blockchain technology for the world’s use, visit www.scia.io today.