Multiple sclerosis treatment

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the brain and spinal cord, characterized by the development of disseminated (in time and space) demyelinating lesions and multiple neurological symptoms; disease is characterized by undulating course (remission with periods of exacerbations) and usually progresses slowly. Apart from injuries, MS is the most common neurological cause of disability of young people (20-40 years). 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease which is based on process directed against the myelin sheath of nerve fibers, the axon remains intact, its atrophy is caused by the destruction of the myelin sheath, because of this the nerve stops sending pulses. The cause of the autoimmune process is not exactly clear, but the most acceptable reason is the interaction of external and internal factors. External include: viral infections (EBV, HHV6), bacterial infections, toxic substances, and the effects of radiation (including solar), geographical and environmental factors,  trauma, stressful situations. The internal factors include: immunodeficiency, genetic predisposition, associated chronic diseases, smoking.

The plaque of multiple sclerosis is the focus of chronic inflammatory demyelination. Acute development of symptoms in the beginning of inflammatory demyelination is associated with edema and impaired impulse conduction along the fiber. Later basic importance gets the destruction of myelin on different levels of the nervous system (dissemination), which causes a variety of clinical symptoms. 

Treatment of multiple sclerosis with fetal stem cells has several directions: 

1. Restoration of myelin (by the cells of mesodermal origin) - remyelination.

2. Restoration of damaged neurons and their processes (by the cells of ectodermal origin).

3. Correction of immunity, so-called micro immunotherapy.

Fetal stem cells are the only source of stem cells of natural origin neuroectoderm - neuronal precursors, so their use in the treatment of neurological disease is the most effective comparing to other types of stem cells.

The effectiveness of treatment depends on the initial condition of the patient and on the rate of the disease progression. Treatment started during the first attack or immediately after it, can stop the process at the stage of the inflammatory demyelination and not to cause the destruction of myelin, thus the neuron will not be damaged and the recovery will be more complete because the main task will be the correction of immunity. If the treatment is carried out when there are some developed focuses (they are usually seen on MRI), the treatment will be aimed at immunocorrection, restoration of the myelin sheath and damaged nerve, and it will take more time, so the improvement of clinical symptoms will be slower.

After the course of cell therapy based on fetal cell suspensions in patients with multiple sclerosis the following changes are observed:

	Reducing of fatigue, increase of working efficiency.		Improvement of motor functions: increasing of motion and strength range.
	Improving of coordination and reduction of ataxia, dizziness and unsteadiness when walking.		Improvement of sense organs functions: vision, speech, smell, and hearing.
	Improving of sensitivity, decrease of numbness in the limbs, pain.		Improvement of cognitive functions, sleep and behavior.

Successful experience of neurodegenerative disease treatment in UCTC