Menstrual blood transplantation therapy for stroke and other neurological disorders

Abstract

Stem cells can be opportunely used to modulate inflammation, abrogate cell death, and preserve tissue function. Today, stem cells are being extensively studied for the treatment of diverse diseases, including central nervous system disorders, although mostly in the laboratory and in limited clinical trials. Cerebrovascular diseases are the third leading cause of death and the primary cause of long-term disability in the United States. The only approved therapy for stroke is tPA, but its widespread application severely diminished by the short therapeutic window and hemorrhagic complications, therefore excluding most patients from its benefits. Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease are the other two most studied basal ganglia diseases and, as stroke, are plagued with limited treatment options. Inflammation is a key feature in central nervous system disorders and it plays a dual role, either improving injury in early phases or impairing neural survival at later stages. In this chapter, the role of stem cells as restorative treatments for stroke and other basal ganglia disorders is discussed. The recently investigated menstrual blood stem cells are specially emphasized, and their present and future experimental and clinical applications are explored.