Treating Dementia with Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

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When it comes to illnesses and conditions that affect us as we grow older, one of the most common that we hear about is dementia. Dementia is not specifically a disease. Rather, it is a term that is used to describe a group of conditions that are characterized by multiple impairments to brain functions. People who suffer from this condition may experience judgment problems, memory loss, forgetfulness, inability to think, and other impairments that dramatically impact their daily life.

Dementia is generally caused by damage to nerve cells in their connectors in the brain. It can also be caused by the loss of such nerve cells, which are critically important when it comes to memory, behaviors, and bodily functions.

One of the strongest risk factors for dimension is increasing in age. The majority of people who suffer from dementia are over the age of 65. In addition, family history, race, traumatic brain injuries, and poor heart health can all contribute to a person’s increased risk of suffering from dementia later on in life.

How Many People Have Dementia?

Dementia is a very common condition that many people across the globe suffer from. Current estimates show that approximately 5.8 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. 5.6 million people who have been diagnosed with this condition are aged 65 or older. Approximately 200,000 people diagnosed with this condition are under the age of 65.

On a global scale, studies find that an estimated 55.2 million people are currently living with dementia across the world. This number equates to approximately 5.2% of the world’s population over the age of 60 suffering from this condition.

Scientists believe that this number will increase from 55 million in 2022 to an estimated 79 million in 2230. By the year 2050, scientists believe that more than 139 million people across the globe will have been diagnosed with dementia.

What are the Symptoms of Dementia?

Patients who have been diagnosed with dementia often experience an array of common signs and symptoms. These can result in cognitive changes and psychological changes. Some of the most common cognitive symptoms that patients experience with this disease include:

Problems handling complex tasks.
Problems with communication or finding words to say.
Memory loss, which is often noticed by other people.
Problems planning and organizing tasks and events.
Problem-solving difficulties or problems reasoning.
Confusion and disorientation.
Getting lost often or experiencing difficulties with spatial and visual abilities.
Problems with motor function and coordination.

In addition, patients often experience psychological changes as a result of dementia. Some of the most common symptoms include:

Feeling anxious.
Feeling depressed.
Engaging in inappropriate behaviors.
Feeling agitated.
Experiencing personality changes.

These symptoms can progress and become worse over time. Unfortunately, many of the symptoms can be incredibly debilitating.

Types of Dementia

There are several types of dementia that patients can be diagnosed with. Some of the most common include:

Frontotemporal dementia: This type of dementia generally occurs as a result of a breakdown of nerve cells in their connectors within the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. People who experience frontotemporal dementia often have problems with their behavior, judgment, thinking, language, movement, and personality.
Lewy body dementia: This type of dementia is characterized by abnormal balloon-like clumps of protein within the brain. Lewy body dementia is one of the most common types of progressive dementia and can include people saying things that are not there, having problems focusing, being unable to pay attention, or acting out dreams in their sleep.
Vascular dementia: This type of dementia is typically caused by damage to the vessels in the body that supply blood to the brain. These are often caused by strokes. However, they can affect the brain and other ways, such as damaging the fibers that are in the white matter of the brain.
Mixed dementia: This type of dementia is generally used to describe patients who suffer from a combination of various causes leading to dementia and Alzheimer’s. In many cases, makes dementia is diagnosed during an autopsy study after the patient has passed away.

Unfortunately, any type of dementia can be incredibly devastating. There is no known cure for dementia. However, there are several treatments that can help to alleviate some of the symptoms that patients who are dealing with this debilitating condition experience.

What Treatment Options are Available for Dementia?

When it comes to treating dementia, many of the treatment options are generally designed to help patients manage the symptoms they experience. There are several types of medication that are provided to patients who suffer from this condition.

One of the most common types of medication prescribed to patients is Cholinesterase inhibitors. Common names provided for these medications include Aricept, Razadyne, and Exelon. These medications are generally prescribed to help boost the levels of chemical messengers involved in judgment and memory in the brain.

A second type of medication that is often prescribed to patients who have this condition is Memantine. Memantine, also known as Namenda, is prescribed to patients to help regulate the activity of glutamate in the brain. This chemical messenger is responsible for helping with memory and learning. In some cases, these two types of medications are prescribed together.

There are also instances where doctors prescribe medication to help treat some of the conditions and symptoms associated with dementia. This can include medication for sleep disturbances, Parkinsonism, depression, and agitation.

In addition to medication, patients are often prescribed several types of therapy. Occupational therapy is generally used to help patients cope with their behaviors and make their homes safer. This type of therapy is designed to help patients prevent falls and other types of accidents, as well as manage their behaviors and prepare them for what is to come with the disease.

Medical professionals often recommend that patients who suffer from this disease modify their environment in order to reduce the amount of clutter and noise inside of their homes. Adding monitoring systems is also recommended to be able to track people who suffer from dementia and wander away.

In recent years, we have seen many scientists turn to the use of umbilical Cord derived mesenchymal stem cells to treat symptoms of dementia in patients. Some of these studies have shown promise when it comes to helping improve the condition of sufferers.

What are Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells?

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells, or UC-MSCs, are a type of multi-opponent stromal cells that have the ability to differentiate into various other cell types. These include osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myocytes, and adipocytes, which are bone cells, cartilage cells, muscle cells, and fat cells, respectively.

These stem cells are generally removed from cells within the umbilical cord. The Wharton’s jelly is believed to be the most potent, providing the most benefits when it comes to the use of UC-MSCs to treat various autoimmune disorders and diseases.

These stem cells are particularly unique in that they have exceptional immunomodulatory properties, which are extremely beneficial for treating inflammatory diseases. They also have the ability to regenerate cells quickly and effectively.

When it comes to using umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells to treat dementia, studies have shown promising results.

Studies Surrounding the use of UC-MSCs for Treating Dementia

Over the years, several studies have been conducted by groups of scientists involving the use of UC-MSCs for treating animals like rats, mice, and other nonhuman primates who suffer from dementia. During the study, scientists were able to create a triple transgenic mouse model, which had modified PS’s1, APP, and PS2.

In the study, scientists utilized UC-MSCs from the Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord to treat the mice who suffer from these conditions. A follow-up four weeks after the transplantation found that the mesenchymal stem cells were beneficial for significantly enhancing spatial learning and decreasing memory decline in the mice. In addition, the soluble Aβ levels and Aβ deposition were also significantly reduced. A reduction in the proinflammatory cytokines was also notable. The anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 showed a significant increase. These results showed promise when it comes to ubiquitin conjugate levels and reducing cell death. The studies also suggested that exposure to the stem cells within the dementia environment helps to improve their therapeutic effects by producing greater.

In addition, the use of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells provides very promising results when it comes to stimulating neurodegeneration as a form of treatment for people who suffer from dementia. This type of stem cell has a promising ability to synthesize proangiogenic and neurotrophic factors. This ability, combined with their immunomodulatory properties and the high biosafety potential when it comes to replacing neurons that have been lost or impaired. Additionally, the use of UC-MSC-based therapies has shown encouraging potential when it comes to restoring damaged neural tissues and slowing disease progression in people who suffer from dementia.

Although the results have been incredibly promising for us far, more tests and studies are needed to determine whether the use of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells can help to cure or improve dementia for patients who suffer from this debilitating condition.

Stem cell therapy is rooted in a rich history of medical discovery, a journey Cellebration Wellness is proud to continue. Considering stem cell therapy? Let Cellebration Wellness provide the expert guidance you need—contact us today at 1.800.601.8290!