Combined Cell Therapy in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders

Cell therapy is being explored for neurological diseases, using stem cells and their derivatives. The idea is to combine multiple cell types in transplantation to see if the combined approach is more effective than using a single cell type. This review looks at studies and trials of combined cell therapies for neurological conditions like stroke, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, muscular dystrophy and retinal degeneration, exploring the advantages of using combined cell therapy. Combined cell therapy may work by adding up the benefits of different cells, or by one cell type helping the survival and function of another, by improving the environment around the cells or modulating the immune system.

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  Combined cell therapy has shown successful application in treating neurological pathologies, including stroke, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and retinal degeneration, in both experimental and clinical studies.
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  The advantages of combined cell therapy can include simple summation of beneficial effects of different cells, or one kind of cells can support the survival and functioning of the other by enhancing the formation of optimum environment or immunomodulation.
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  No significant adverse events were reported, making combined cell therapy a promising approach for treating neurological disorders, though further research is necessary.