Stem Cells as a Potential Game Changer in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Abstract

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) are debilitating conditions that progressively affect the central nervous system, causing a gradual decline in motor function, cognitive abilities, and quality of life. The most well-known types of NDDs are Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite extensive research, there are currently no known cures for these disorders, making them a significant public health challenge. In recent years, however, stem cell (SC) therapy has emerged as a promising treatment option for NDDs. Stem cells have the ability to regenerate and replace damaged or lost cells in the body, and can be used to stimulate neurogenesis and promote tissue repair. The types of SCs used in NDDs are including embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and neural stem cells (NSCs). Each type of stem cell has unique properties that can be used as an active therapeutic agent for NDDs and reduce the risk of these disorders in today's world. In this chapter, we both emphasize the feature of SCs and their types used in NDD, we also examine their potential and applications in treating NDD, with a focus on PD, AD, HD, and ALS. Furthermore, we discuss the current state of knowledge and research on their therapeutic strategies and emphasize their promising application to present effective future insights for SCs studies.

Cite this article as: Safgöl Ö, Altuntaş İ, Erbaş O. Stem Cells as a Potential Game Changer in Neurodegenerative Disorders. JEB Med Sci 2024;5(1):88-100.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.