Case Report
Year: 2019 | Month: January-March | Volume: 4 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 136-143
Cellular Therapy Improves Brain Metabolism in a Case of Chronic Ischemic Stroke
Dr. Alok Sharma1, Dr. Hemangi Sane2, Dr. Amruta Paranjape2,3, Alitta Jose2, Dr. Dhara Mehta3, Dr. Sanket Inamdar3, Dr. Prerna Badhe4, Dr. Nandini Gokulchandran1
1Department of Medical Services and Clinical Research, NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute, India
2Department of Research & Development, NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute, India.
3Department of Neurorehabilitation, NeuroGen Brain &Spine Institute, India
4Department of Regenerative Laboratory Services, NeuroGen Brain &Spine Institute, India
Corresponding Author: Alitta Jose
ABSTRACT
Objective: Cellular therapy is an emerging therapeutic option for chronic stroke. The aim of this report was to study the effect of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells followed by neurorehabilitation in the case of chronic ischemic stroke.
Method and results: The patient was a 50-year-old male suffering from ischemic stroke due to middle cerebral artery infarct since 4 years. The intervention included intrathecal administration of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells followed by neurorehabilitation. He presented with right hemiparesis, dysarthria and memory deficits. He underwent cellular therapy twice at an interval of 6 months. Post cellular therapy the voluntary control, memory, ambulation and speech improved. The recovery was also marked by an improvement on Berg Balance scale (50 to 52), Beck Depression Inventory scale (23 to 9) and the Reach score. Comparative Positron Emission Tomography-Computer Tomography (PET CT) scan of brain 6 months after cellular therapy showed improvements in bilateral frontal cortex, parietal cortex, thalamus, cerebellum, medial temporal cortex, right basal ganglia, right temporal cortex, cingulate cortex which correlated with clinical improvements.
Conclusion: Cellular therapy along with neurorehabilitation was safe and beneficial. Cellular therapy assisted the impaired areas of brain in recovery as demonstrated on PET CT scan even at a chronic stage. To understand the efficacy of the cellular therapy further randomised controlled clinical trials should be conducted.
Keywords: Stroke, Cellular therapy, Brain injury, Stem cells, bone marrow mononuclear cells, autologous, PET CT.