A Brief Overview of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for ALS in India
If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), we understand the anguish in your heart. If you’re worried about gradually losing your ability to perform everyday tasks, we understand the anxiety in your mind. However, we are here to tell you that an ALS diagnosis is not the end of the road.
There’s more.
More to life.
More to you.
What is this “more”, you ask?
It is mesenchymal stem cell therapy and the hope it rekindles. It gives you more than just a fighting chance at living with ALS. It allows you to live the life you have dreamed of in spite of your ALS diagnosis.
Understanding ALS
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neuromuscular disease that attacks motor nerve cells in the brain (upper motor neurons) and spinal cord (lower motor neurons). In its initial stages, it causes loss of motor control. However, as the disease advances, it leads to motor impairment.
Patients with ALS often experience muscle weakness, difficulty speaking, swallowing, and breathing.
Early Symptoms of ALS
Some of the most common early symptoms of ALS are:
- Deterioration of muscle in arms and legs resulting in impairment
- Uncontrollable periods of crying or laughter
- Inability to perform simple everyday tasks
- Loss of motor control (in hands and arms)
- Dropping things (due to lack of motor control)
- Weakness and fatigue
- Tripping and falling
- Slurred speech
- Difficulty in speaking (voice-projection troubles)
- Cognitive and behavioral changes
Plexus’ Rehabilitation for ALS
Plexus’ rehabilitation programme is tailored to suit the patient’s symptoms, doctor’s diagnosis, current lifestyle, as well as any aspirations the patient and their caregivers may have. This unique regenerative rehabilitation programme offers a plethora of treatments and therapies to equip the patient with more independence, and to make caregivers more informed about the disease, its progression, and how they can play a meaningful role in the patient’s life.
Our programme includes:
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy (OT) empowers the patient to perform daily activities with much more ease by helping them manage their symptoms. OT helps restore strength, improve endurance and hand function, and manage fatigue. Our team of highly skilled occupational therapists will help you regain independence and even improve your everyday functionality.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is one of the most recommended therapies for patients with ALS. It is known to improve posture and prevent joint immobility. It can also delay the inevitable atrophy caused by lack of motor function. Our physiotherapists will devise an exercise plan that is in keeping with the patient’s requirements, lifestyle, and aspirations.
Speech and Language Therapy
One of the most troubling, common, and advancing symptoms of ALS is dysphagia. A speech therapist can help maintain communication skills, and also improve swallowing skills. Speech therapy also helps patients regain the ability to produce sounds and speech.
Muscle Relaxants and Medication
Muscle relaxants are prescribed by doctors to relieve muscle stiffness. They can also help reduce drooling that occurs due to dysphagia.
Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy is essentially a type of regenerative treatment that uses the body’s natural healing mechanism to treat a number of conditions. Injected stem cells slow down the rate of neurodegeneration and also have the capacity to self-renew, regenerate cells, and repair damaged tissue.
Neuroprotection is one of the primary objectives of regenerative treatments like stem cell therapy. Injected stem cells can also provide immunomodulation, secrete growth factors, and also produce supporting cells that can protect damaged motor neurons from further damage and degeneration. Some of these supporting cells include astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
Stem cell therapy is safe and risk-free because the autologous stem cells are drawn from the patient’s blood, bone marrow, or adipose tissue. They are progenitor cells that have the potential to multiply and transform into specialised cells, taking on the functions of the damaged cells by replacing them.
Plexus’ rehabilitation for ALS also offers:
- Diets and nutrition plans
- Endurance training and fitness management
- Functional stretching for relief from muscle stiffness
- Hand function training
- Functional splinting
- Strengthening of muscles in the shoulder, neck, upper and lower limbs, and oral structures
- Activities for daily living training
- Energy conservation and work simplification training
- Counseling and caregiver support
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in India
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells found in various tissues, including bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord tissue. At Plexus, India’s first ISO-certified stem cell research center, we use mesenchymal stem cells as part of our regenerative rehabilitation program for ALS. We have patients from around the world visiting our centers in Bangalore and Hyderabad seeking ALS treatment.
MSCs possess unique characteristics that make them the ideal choice for therapeutic applications in neurodegenerative disorders. Let’s take a look at these characteristics:
Differentiation Abilities
MSCs are known for their potential to differentiate into neuronal cells, namely afferent and sensory neurons. This differentiation helps with the regeneration of damaged neural tissue.
Immunomodulatory Properties
MSCs can modulate the immune system’s response and help mitigate inflammation and protect motor neurons.
Paracrine Signaling
The primary role of MSCs in ALS treatment is paracrine signaling. They release a range of signaling molecules that support the surrounding cells, promote tissue repair, and augment immunomodulation.
Neurotrophic Factors Secretion
MSCs secrete neurotrophic factors (proteins that support the survival and function of neurons), and provide a supportive environment for damaged motor neurons. They can also contribute to the preservation of neural tissue, slow down the degeneration of motor neurons, and enhance their resilience.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
MSCs can exert anti-inflammatory effects, and thereby potentially lessen the damage caused by inflammation in the central nervous system. By dampening the inflammatory response, MSCs may help protect vulnerable motor neurons, and slow down disease progression.
Patient Experiences
Below are some of the positive outcomes and incredible improvements in the patients who’ve undergone stem cell therapy for ALS at Plexus:
- Improved motor function, muscle strength, and coordination
- Improved everyday functionality
- Reduced severity of symptoms
- Reduced inflammation
- Improved respiratory function
- Reduced dependence on assistive devices
- Positive outlook on daily life
If you wish to know more about our customized ALS rehabilitation program, reach out to our team in Bangalore or Hyderabad today.
WhatsApp +91 89048 42087
Call +91 78159 64668 (Hyderabad) | +91 82299 99888 (Bangalore)
You can also visit our website www.plexusnc.com to know more about our other rehabilitation programs.
