Cerebral palsy (CP), a neurological disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination, requires lifelong treatment, as no cure for CP exists. However, regenerative therapy, which utilizes stem cells, has proven very beneficial in treating neurological disorders, including cerebral palsy.

Stem Cells First Used to Successfully Treat CP
The emergence of regenerative therapy as a possible cerebral palsy treatment occurred in August 2006 at Tiantan Puhua Neurosurgical Hospital in China, where 19-year-old Hungarian Gabor Bocskai had neural stem cells injected into his spinal cord fluid through lumbar puncture four times, as well as stem cell activation and proliferation therapy.

Before the procedure, Bocskai had a lot of difficulty controlling his eye movements and was unable to walk. Two months after the stem cell treatment, Bockskai’s eye movements drastically improved. Four months after treatment, Bockskai took his first steps while using a walker.

CP Stem Cell Treatment Near the U.S.
Dr. Dave Steenblock, an American board-certified doctor, has been performing cerebral palsy stem cell treatment at Stem Cell M.D. in Mission Viejo and Tijuana, Mexico. Dr. Steenblock and his medical staff have been working with Dr. Fernando Ramirez, an American certified orthopedic surgeon.

Together, the doctors hope to use stem cells to decrease the following cerebral palsy symptoms:
  • Muscle weakness
  • Muscle stiffness
  • Tremors
  • Lack of muscular coordination
  • Difficulty performing daily tasks such as eating, dressing, writing, and speaking
Smelling Out Futuristic CP Treatment
Chinese researchers have found that children and teens with cerebral palsy can benefit from transplanting cells that surround the nose into the frontal lobe of the brain. The olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs)  can help repair nervous system damage, leading to relief from CP symptoms.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons user Mike Jones.