Stem Cell therapy for TBI?
 

Hello,

I have seen that Stem Cell injections are growing in popularity among NFL players with concussion/history of repeated concussions, and that this type of treatment has had some recent successes in clinical trials.

Has anyone tried this or have any knowledge regarding it? Is it something worth doing?

Thank you.

There was a NT member who tried stem cell therapy a few years ago but did not have any improvement.

Where did you read about NFL players getting stem cell therapy for concussions ? Stem cell therapy is common for joint injuries.

I see plenty of stem cell companies that offer fat stem cell therapy for concussions but I don't see any research that confirms its effectiveness. I do see reports of NFL players who use it in hopes that it reduces the risks of CTE.

There is research into how to enhance the brain's own regenerative stem cell mechanism that slows as we age. This company appears to be working on such a process. Vitro Biopharma Advances Stem Cell Activation Therapy for Concussion - Vitro Biopharma

If you have seen any articles that report of the effectiveness of a stem cell therapy for concussions, plenty of people would be interested here. Posting a link would be great.

Unfortunately I have too few posts to include links, sorry. I saw a recent study on mice was successful with stem cells, and also a few articles where NFL players said they had tried a new stem cell procedure based in Ohio, and that they felt improvement. I wonder if anyone has had experience with this? I'm sad to hear the member who tried a few years ago did not improve!

Well, I don't want to get your hopes up, but there is one stanford study that seems to show some improvement in stroke victims with stem cell therapy. Stanford researchers unexpectedly reverse brain damage with stem cells — RT America

Here is an article about the treatment you mention.
Ohio stem cell procedure offering hope to NFL players with multiple concussions | fox8.com
It is a fat stem cell therapy.

The challenge with it and many other treatments is it appears it might be needed early in the process, rather that late in the PCS process where spontaneous recovery did not manifest.

NFL players can afford a $8,000 treatment with every concussion regardless of whether their symptoms are prolonged.

The rat study shows the treatment needs to be started in the first 2 weeks.

Many treatments have shown to help if started early but of no or minimal value if started later in the concussion process.

With 1.5 million concussions that are reported to hospital ER's each year, the cost would be $12,000,000,000 or $12 billion dollars. That does not even include the millions more that never get reported to ER's. The estimate is there are 3 to 5 or even 6 million concussions each year.

These treatments would need to become much more affordable before health insurance companies will be willing to pay for them. PCS is not a life threatening disease by normal standards.

If 85% of concussions recovery spontaneously in the first 6 weeks, treating concussions before that 6 week window is finished will be hard to justify.

If the therapy could be done for less than a $1000, it may be accepted as a worthwhile preventive treatment during the first week.

A BIG challenge will be the diagnostic criteria of those concussions that qualify for such early treatment.

They are just entering Phase 2 Clinical Trials. It will be interesting to see what they learn.