'Stem cells show promise in stroke recovery'

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http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28694656
0 T6 l8 G6 r. T# }: A, R' U  t# j'Stem cells show promise in stroke recovery'
9 W  r  R# Y% q+ r3 q4 ^By Smitha Mundasad
' {1 l# G% {, x$ t2 x, r* tHealth reporter, BBC News+ U* S5 K; I: Z/ T0 B% z, c& d

. [" b9 C# F& YResearchers studied the most common types of strokes, caused by blood clots in the brain9 m4 z6 n- J0 C* D
Continue reading the main story
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Stroke stem-cell trial shows promise
3 S& V$ A$ `$ }Infusing stem cells into the brain may help boost recovery after a stroke, according to a pilot study by Imperial College London.
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Scientists believe the cells encourage new blood vessels to grow in damaged areas of the brain.  ?6 H+ l5 n2 }3 e# M$ d; g3 u

6 I" \5 p5 Q1 c2 j  s4 F+ UThey found most patients were able to walk and look after themselves independently by the end of the trial, despite having suffered severe strokes.# I5 z0 g$ w) j* t

6 q* @8 |8 _! y& J! w! uLarger studies are needed to evaluate whether this could be used more widely.2 X# O. N+ e3 y; G2 g1 l1 U

# H& p4 W" n6 F, I. L3 c2 U. CContinue reading the main story' }6 X% _9 k4 z$ L" E4 h
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' o+ g& r/ \, @5 q* m6 UNow we need to look at a larger group of patients and hope eventually to develop a treatment based on this approach”
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Dr Soma Banerjee( A. }8 N% J: k9 u7 g; m
Imperial College London
+ ?  X9 h/ ]6 j3 N9 l/ c  XIn this early trial - designed primarily to look at the safety of this approach - researchers harvested stem cells from the bone marrow of five people who had recently had a stroke.+ }; I  k" b+ ?! L) D4 W& p0 O! v
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'Independent living'
( O8 T' m1 x+ mThey isolated particular types of stem cells - known as CD34+. These have the ability to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels." p2 x( Z% U* W2 Z+ E4 C& w  ~
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They were infused directly into damaged sections of the brain, via the major artery that supplies this area., E1 f3 Z8 Q* E/ W& e; i6 S
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Scientists monitored the patients for six months, charting their ability to carry out everyday activities independently.
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Four of the five patients had suffered particularly severe strokes - resulting in the loss of speech and marked paralysis down one side of the body.% K( g& e7 X( Q8 \- u' u6 t* b
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This type of stroke usually has a high fatality and disability rate.' S; s/ v% F" f& [; @: ^/ I- S
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But researchers found three of the four patients were able to walk and look after themselves independently at the end of the six-month period.2 h  q- q, X* d7 R8 W
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And with some help, all five were mobile and could take part in everyday tasks.
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: o7 J" q1 }7 x" O" C. \$ nThough other stem cell treatment has shown promise as stroke therapy before, this is the first UK study to investigate using this type of approach in the first week after a stroke.! @$ p* U. e/ Q
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Scientists hope getting to patients early will improve chances of success.
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Dr Soma Banerjee, who led the study, told the BBC: "This is encouraging and exciting early research.4 v) U7 I7 n1 N" @9 M7 T4 K$ f
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"Now we need to look at a larger group of patients and hope eventually to develop a treatment based on this approach."- `6 |& K- p3 H; s: Q% R) l

3 C! g7 Q2 I, [4 P0 zBut Dr Tim Chico, from the University of Sheffield, who was not involved in the study, said: "It is important to understand this is only the very earliest step towards a possible new treatment for stroke and does not prove the stem cell treatment improved these patients' recovery.
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"A much larger trial will be needed to compare stem cell treatment with no stem cell treatment." Y0 q! }7 R8 E( x) P. x# @/ X+ D4 O
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"Anyone who has seen the suffering a stroke can cause will be encouraged that doctors and scientists are continually exploring new ways to treat this devastating disease."0 b0 a+ {$ [7 T$ C

4 O7 ]; k$ z) [7 o- g! V" RThe study is published in Stem Cell Translational Medicine.