Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapies Applied in Neurological Diseases: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Regenerative Medicine
• Stem Cell Therapy

Background:

• Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) severely impact quality of life with limited effective treatments.
• Current treatments often focus on symptoms, not root causes.
• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) offer potential for regenerative therapies due to self-renewal and differentiation capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the safety, efficacy, and challenges of using MSCs and their secretome in neurodegenerative diseases.
• To review clinical and preclinical evidence for MSCs in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed.
• Studies included clinical and preclinical evidence of MSC use in neurodegenerative disorders.

Main Results:

• Preclinical studies consistently show MSCs improve behavioral outcomes, reduce neuroinflammation, and offer neuroprotection in AD, PD, HD, and ALS.
• MSC effects are primarily mediated by paracrine signaling, not direct cell replacement.
• Clinical studies demonstrate MSC therapy is safe and feasible, but efficacy signals are modest, variable, and short-term.

Conclusions:

• MSCs and their derivatives show disease-modifying effects across multiple NDs.
• Further large-scale, controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm efficacy.
• Integrating genetic engineering, preconditioning, and exosome (EV) technology may enhance MSC-based neuroregeneration for improved long-term outcomes.