Can Stem Cells Heal Traumatic Brain Injuries?

by Matson Huff | Jan 10, 2022 | Stem Cell Therapy, Traumatic Brain Injury

TBIs, or traumatic brain injuries, are typically one of the most challenging types of medical ailments to treat. This is due to the sheer complexity of the human brain. Here we talk about how to heal traumatic brain injuries.

Fortunately, stem cell therapy may provide medical professionals with a viable treatment option when encountering patients suffering from TBIs. Stem cells are unique cells that are capable of transforming into other types of cells, including those present within the brain.

While stem cells have shown great promise when used to treat other types of soft tissue injuries, can they help heal traumatic brain injuries? Thus far, researchers have not found a definitive answer. However, initial data shows that stem cell therapy may have a positive impact on TBI patients.  

Types of Traumatic Brain Injury

Before we discuss how stem cell therapy may benefit individuals that have suffered a TBI, let’s briefly recap the various types of traumatic brain injuries.

Concussions

The most common type of traumatic brain injury is concussions. Concussions can occur when a person’s head collides with another individual, a fixed object, or a moving object. A prime example of an injury-causing event is when a football player’s helmet hits the helmet of another player or the turf. Concussions are characterized by a loss of consciousness, an altered mental state, and headaches.

Penetration Injuries

A less common but still frequent type of TBI is caused by a penetration injury. These injuries occur when a foreign object pierces the skull and damages the brain. Penetration injuries can be caused by sharp objects, bullets, and shrapnel.

Diffuse Axonal Injuries

The third class of TBI is referred to as a diffuse axonal injury. This type of injury occurs when a person experiences rapid deceleration or acceleration. Diffuse axonal injuries are most likely to occur during motor vehicle accidents.

How Stem Cells May Help

Every year, approximately 1.5 million people suffer from TBIs in the U.S. alone. Roughly 230,000 people are admitted to the hospital and survive their injuries. Of these, about one-third (80,000–90,000) suffer from some sort of long-term disability.

In the past, clinicians focused on managing the many symptoms of TBIs via the use of medications and rehabilitative therapies. However, stem cell therapy has become a safe and natural alternative treatment option for many different neurodegenerative conditions, including TBIs.

Early research suggests that stem cell therapy may be able to:

• Improve cognitive function
• Improve appetite
• Improve mood and stamina
• Decrease chronic pain
• Increase energy

If you or a loved one is suffering from a TBI injury, stem cell therapy might be able to help mitigate or improve symptoms. If you would like to learn more contact us today and speak with a care coordinator.

What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?

by Matson Huff | Jan 3, 2022 | Stem Cell Therapy, Traumatic Brain Injury

A question we get a lot is what is traumatic brain injury? Traumatic brain injury (or TBI) is usually caused by a violent blow to the head or body. An object piercing the brain tissue, such as may happen in an automobile accident, can also cause TBI. Most traumatic brain injuries are mild concussions that do not require hospitalization, but sadly, TBI does contribute to nearly 50,000 deaths a year in the U.S. Treatments for traumatic brain injury depend on the severity of the injury. Therapies may include emergency treatment, medications, rehabilitation, and stem cell therapy.  

Inflammation is the body’s normal response to injury, but the hard skull around the brain prevents outward swelling when it’s injured. Instead, pressure builds up inside the skull, and this pressure can cause even further injury. 

Interruption in communication patterns between the brain’s neurotransmitters creates an imbalance of the delicate chemistry needed for normal function. If the injury is mild, normal function may resume when the brain heals and inflammation recedes. But if the pressure is prolonged or the injury is more severe, complications can be life-altering.

The Symptoms of TBI

The term “traumatic brain injury” sounds severe, and in some cases, it can be. However, traumatic brain injury is also the correct term for describing mild concussions that don’t appear to be concerning immediately after the event. Symptoms and complications related to TBI may appear days or even weeks after the injury. That is why all TBIs should be considered serious incidents until more information becomes available.

Symptoms of a mild TBI may include:

• Headache,
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Nausea/vomiting
• Speech problems
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Blurred vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Strange taste in the mouth
• Loss of smell
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes
• Feeling confused, disoriented
• Problems with memory or difficulty concentrating
• Mood swings

A more serious TBI may also cause convulsions, clear fluids draining from ears or nose, weakness in toes and fingers, or dilation of one or both pupils.

Seek medical care if you or someone you know exhibits any of the above signs after a fall or some other type of accident that involves a blow to the head. Children are especially at risk for long-term complications of TBI and should be evaluated immediately.

Can Regenerative Medicine Help TBI?

Regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, has shown potential for managing a range of neurodegenerative disorders, including traumatic brain injury. While it is still considered experimental, studies on stem cell therapy show promise for its ability to replace damaged brain cells with healthy new cells and potentially restore or improve brain function. If you would like to learn more contact a care coordinator today!

The Benefits of Stem Cells for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

by Matson Huff | Jun 14, 2021 | Stem Cell Therapy, Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an extremely challenging condition for many patients to face. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2006 to 2014, the number of TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths increased by 53%. Those who survive after a TBI may experience irreversible neurological symptoms that can sustain for the rest of their lives. However, there is some evidence that suggests that stem cell therapy may help in the treatment of TBI. There are many benefits of Stem Cells.

How Stem Cells May Benefit A Patient With A Traumatic Brain Injury 

Mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to differentiate into any type of cell and tissue. They can become any type of cell in the body, including ones that do not normally replicate. For instance, you often hear that you have the same number of nerve cells since birth. Recent evidence suggests that neurons can regenerate in certain cases, but, the rate of regeneration is not sufficient to restore some lost functions after irreversible damage (e.g., TBI, stroke).

For this reason, scientists are studying stem cells since they have the potential to differentiate, regenerate, and repair, to help patients with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, strokes, and traumatic brain injuries.

What Does Science Say About Stem Cells And TBI?

In recent decades, mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow, umbilical cord, and adipose tissues demonstrated impressive potential in the management of TBI. There have been clinical studies that describe the administration of stem cells via a lumbar puncture and/or intravenous (IV) methods to patients with TBI. After the evaluation of these patients using imaging techniques (i.e., MRI, fMRI), lesions in the brain showed improvements after each treatment session.

Today, dozens of clinical trials are still being conducted to get a deeper understanding of the effects of stem cell therapy on patients with TBI. With that said, and based on the available results, patients with TBI conditions may find this treatment method as an encouraging option. Research will continue as scientists keep studying this new advancement in regenerative medicine. 

Stem cells have an incredible ability to divide into any type of tissue, opening the door for endless therapeutic options in not only neurodegenerative conditions, such as TBI but for autoimmune and orthopedic conditions as well. If you would like to learn more then contact a care coordinator today!