chronic TBI), which range from 704/100,000 persons in France Citation 8 to 1766/100,000 persons in the United States Citation 9. Estimates vary for the prevalence of chronic TBI-related long-term disabilities (i.e. However, many patients experience long-term disabilities, as demonstrated by unchanged return-to-work rates reported over the last 50 years Citation 6, Citation 7. Although there are no approved therapies for TBI, advances in acute clinical care have resulted in improved rates of post-TBI survival Citation 3–5. Stem cell therapy gives hope to the most vulnerable patient group, with possible lifelong benefits.Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health problem, affecting more than 50 million people worldwide each year, with direct and indirect costs of treating TBI globally estimated to be US$400 billion per year Citation 1, Citation 2. The discovery of a new and safe therapy with stem cells also opens up opportunities for other babies with brain injury, such as babies who are born too early, or babies that suffer from a lack of oxygen during birth (perinatal asphyxia). We are now looking for opportunities to proceed with a randomised controlled trial (the gold standard for medical studies) to prove that stem cell therapy can effectively repair brain injury after perinatal stroke. When the children are two years old, we will check their development again. At four months, the treated babies, including Tom, performed well when the quality of their movements was tested. There was one baby who had a mild fever after the treatment, which quickly cleared up on its own.Ī follow-up MRI scan of the brain made three months after the stroke showed less injury than expected, possibly because of the stem cells. In all ten newborns, the stem cell droplets were administered without any complications. We treated ten newborns who were transferred from hospitals across the Netherlands to the University Medical Center Utrecht after suffering from a stroke. Afterwards, Tom was monitored closely for a few days before he went home. He received stem cells via nose droplets, a procedure that took only several minutes. To ask parents to enrol in an experimental therapy in the first week of their newborn child’s life is a very delicate process.Īfter we had a long conversation with his parents, they decided to let their son take part in the study. The results have been published in The Lancet Neurology.īaby Tom, mentioned earlier, was the first baby to participate in the study and received stem cells within a week of being born. Ten babiesĪfter many years of laboratory research, we have finally tested the treatment in babies. After several experiments with this method, we concluded that dripping stem cells in the nose is the safest and most efficient way to deliver them to the brain. Within a few days, the stem cells were broken down and not traceable in the brain any longer. Once the stem cells arrived at the damaged area, they secreted growth factors that boosted the repair systems of the mice’s brains. The injured brain area sends out “alarm signals” which guide the stem cells to the right spot in the brain. After we delivered the stem cells intranasally, the cells travelled rapidly and specifically to the injured brain areas. unoL/Shutterstockīut how do you deliver stem cells to a baby’s brain without having to use needles or surgery? We decided to try an intranasal route (through the nose), which was tested in mice. The treatment in mice was safe and effective. ![]() These problems can include muscle tightness in the arms and legs (cerebral palsy), behaviour problems, learning difficulties and epilepsy. Most of the babies will have problems later in life, with the severity of the problems depending on which brain areas were injured. It usually happens in the first few days after they are born. About one in 5,000 newborns have a stroke. These “perinatal strokes” happen when one of the major arteries to the brain becomes blocked, leading to a lack of blood supply – and hence oxygen – to certain brain areas. Most people think of stroke as something that mainly affects the elderly, but it can also occur in newborn babies. Doctors told Tom’s parents that there was no treatment they could give the child. An MRI scan revealed that he had suffered a severe stroke. Tom was immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit. ![]() His mother noticed that his left arm and leg were shaking rhythmically – something was not right. A few hours after Tom (not his real name) was born, he became restless and did not want to be breastfed.
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