MND or Motor Neuron Diseases are fatal and neurodegenerative. Motor neurons are the nerve cells controlling the muscles for body movement. They play a vital role in carrying the signals from the brain to the muscles for performing particular action. If the neurons do not function properly, the patients feel severe problems even in the simple movements like walking, standing, speaking, and turning. This medical condition leads to MND. The researchers are studying the impact of different therapeutic approaches on the treatment of this disease. Stem cells have become a potential cure though they affect Motor Neuron Disease treatment cost quite significantly.
The Types of Motor Neuron Disease:
The treatment of this disease begins by ascertaining the type of MND affecting a patient. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS is a condition affecting lower and upper Motor Neurons. On the other hand, Progressive Muscular Atrophy or PMA affects lower neurons in the spinal cord while Progressive Bulbar Palsy or PBP affect lower neurons of the brain stem. Apart from these, Primary Lateral Sclerosis or PLS is a condition affecting only the lower neurons.
It is difficult to ascertain the cause of MND. When the cells in the brain stem get dysfunctional, the motor neurons get damaged and affect the movement of a patient’s body.
Progression Made By Stem Cell Therapy in MND Treatment:
An intensive research has been made to ascertain the effectiveness of stem cell therapy in treatment of motor neuron diseases. This therapy focuses on the changes occurring simultaneously in the body. It helps in finding a treatment that can repair the damaged neurons and reverse the impact of disablement. In this regard, treatment using autologous bone marrow-derived Mesenchymal stem cells may prove effective for neuroprotection, immunomodulation, and neuroregeneration.
MND is a disease caused when the cells in the nervous system are severely damaged. It is quite a challenge to access these cells. The researchers are trying to transform the skin cells into iPS or induced pluripotent stem cells that are artificially reprogrammed. They used these cells for generating motor neurons and understanding human cells in an effective manner. Motor neuron disease treatment cost using stem cells may be high. But, if this treatment becomes successful, it will be a breakthrough in the field of medicine.
However, there are some challenges as well in this process. The circuits within the nervous system are complex and they have been refined for enabling control over movements after years of research. When new cells are transplanted into these circuits, it is hard to predict their behaviour because they still need to learn their part in the system.
Mostly, the studies related to the use of MSCs for treatment of motor neuron diseases are focused on the ability of these cells to cause regeneration of motor neurons.
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