ALS, aka. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a condition in which the body will start to experience the death of neurons that control voluntary muscles. ALS affects both the lower and the upper neurons. This means that those who have this disease will start to experience involuntary spasticity.
They will also experience the weakening of muscles over the course of time. The involuntary spasticity will cause symptoms to worsen as well.
Science is digging constantly for a new way to treat it and hopefully even cure it. However, it is not an easy condition to treat. That being said, in this year (2022) alone, there have been many discoveries.
New hopeful drugs have made their way onto the scene, but even more so, science is now considering the role of stem cells for ALS treatment.
To learn more about ALS check out: https://www.mybiosource.com/als_amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis. However, if you want to learn about how science has been looking to fight it, stick around.
ALS is a pretty difficult disease to understand and to treat as well. It is rare, affecting only 2 in every 100,000 people in the US every year. However, what we do know is that at least 95% of cases in the US of ALS are caused by factors unknown. In fact, only 5% is inherited from parents.
While ALS usually does not strike until the patient gets to age 50-60, it can realistically affect people of any age.
Stem cells are being used more and more in science, with a focus on the medical field and treating a range of currently otherwise incurable diseases. So, does stem cell therapy have any traction with ALS? Possibly, this is what scientists are considering at the moment.
Sadly there is no cure for ALS, and at present times there is a prognosis of only 2-4 years from the onset. However, recent advances in stem cell tech have provided new tools for researchers to be able to fight ALS.
This includes potential ALS treatment for patients as well. It is possible that stem cell therapy may be able to delay how the disease progresses. Yet, long-term research and study needs to be done to establish just how efficient these treatments could be for patients.
A type of stem cell therapy known as mesenchymal stem cell therapy has already been shown to have very strong potential in a therapeutic sense in multiple different clinical fields.
MSC’s (Mesenchymal stem cell therapy) can exert action in differentiating specific cell types, or via the release of a variety of trophic and growth factors.
Some clinical models show evidence of mesenchymal stem cells being able to represent a more promising approach to treat ALS. The transplantation could delay the onset of the disease and its progression, which can increase the lifespan of the patient.
Let us not forget that there may also be a reduction in the loss of motor neurons. This could result in the delay of losing motor function.
Stem cells are able to adopt a role that is supportive as they provide a more nurturing and neuroprotective microenvironment. This will improve the detrimental conditions for the motor neurons which have been diseased. These are what can slow the degeneration of neurons and neuron deaths as well.
So, while there is no cure for ALS, stem cells may be able to help patients. It could reduce the onset and symptoms that come with ALS. It is possible that while drug trials go on for ALS treatment, and a cure is sought, stem cells may be able to prolong the lives of sufferers.
The whole premise of using stem cell therapy for ALS is based on the idea that it could improve the disease's microenvironment. Thus could ease the patient's suffering and extend longevity.
ALS is a very savage disease in which the body experiences the death of the neurons that control voluntary muscles. It can cause spasticity and the weakening of muscles over time.
Those who have ALS can get symptoms such as speaking difficulty, breathing difficulty, muscle stiffness, difficulty moving, muscle cramps, and slurred speech.
There are some drugs available to help with ALS treatment. These do slightly increase the quality of life and lifespan. However, there is no cure accepted for ALS currently.
There is a push to raise awareness of this disease, to help the push to find a cure.
