Stem Cells in Clinical Trials on Neurological Disorders: Trends in Stem Cells Origins, Indications, and Status of the Clinical Trials

Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2022 · DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911453 · Published: September 28, 2022

Simple Explanation

This review analyzes 492 clinical trials to understand the trends in using stem cells to treat neurological disorders, focusing on the origins of the stem cells, the specific conditions they target, and the progress of these trials. The most common neurological disorders being treated with stem cells include injuries to the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, as well as stroke, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumors. Mesenchymal stem cells are the dominant type of stem cell used in these trials, though the specific type of stem cell chosen often depends on the specific neurological disorder being treated.

Study Duration

From 1988 to 2022

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Review of 492 clinical trials

Key Findings

1
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most common type of stem cell used, accounting for 83% of clinical trials.
2
The most frequent neurological disorders studied in these trials are injuries of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves (14%), stroke (13%), multiple sclerosis (12%), and brain tumors (11%).
3
The majority (83%) of the analyzed clinical trials are in Phase 1 or Phase 2, or transitioning between them, indicating that most stem cell therapies for neurological disorders are still in early stages of development.

Research Summary

This review provides a quantitative analysis of 492 clinical trials focusing on stem cells in neurologic disorders, identifying trends in stem cell origins, indications, and trial phases. The most common disorders treated with stem cells were injuries of the nervous system, stroke, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with bone marrow stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells being the most frequently used. The fast-growing number and diversity of stem cells in clinical trials represent a transformation in the treatment of neurological disorders, with MSCs appearing to be of extreme importance especially in the treatment of stroke.

Practical Implications

Clinical Trial Design

Future clinical trials should focus on optimizing stem cell dosage to achieve maximum clinical outcomes.

Personalized Therapy

The specific stem cell choice becomes increasingly important for the exact therapeutical goal, indicating a need for personalized therapy approaches.

Delivery Methods

Subarachnoid administration of MSCs may promote stem cell migration to the CNS and help cross the blood–brain barrier more effectively, suggesting the importance of optimizing delivery routes.

Study Limitations

1
Low clinical efficacy of stem cell treatments.
2
Many of the clinical trials do not include a control group which is an important weakness.
3
Gap between preclinical studies with positive results and clinical trials with shortage of efficacy.

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