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REVIEW article

Front. Neurol.
Sec. Experimental Therapeutics
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1419867

Stem cell therapy: A new hope for stroke and traumatic brain injury recovery and the challenge for rural minorities in South Carolina

Provisionally accepted
Ghada A. Mohamed Ghada A. Mohamed *Daniel H. Lench Daniel H. Lench Parneet Grewal Parneet Grewal Mark Rosenberg Mark Rosenberg Jenifer Voeks Jenifer Voeks
  • Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are a significant cause of death and disability nationwide. Both are considered public health concerns in rural communities in the state of South Carolina (SC), particularly affecting the African American population resulting in considerable morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Stem cell therapy (SCT) has emerged as a potential intervention for both diseases with increasing research trials showing promising results. In this perspective article, the authors aim to discuss the current research in the field of SCT, the results of early phase trials, and the utilization of outcome measures and biomarkers of recovery. We searched PubMed from inception to December 2023 for articles on stem cell therapy in stroke and traumatic brain injury and its impact on rural communities, particularly in SC. Early phase trials of SCT in Stroke and Traumatic Brain injury yield promising safety profile and efficacy results, but the findings have not yet been consistently replicated. Early trials using mesenchymal stem cells for stroke survivors showed safety, feasibility, and improved functional outcomes using broad and domain-specific outcome measures. Neuroimaging markers of recovery such as Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) combined with neuromodulation, although not widely used in SCT research, could represent a breakthrough when evaluating brain injury and its functional consequences. This article highlights the role of SCT as a promising intervention while addressing the underlying social determinants of health that affect therapeutic outcomes in relation to rural communities such as SC. It also addresses the challenges ethical concerns of stem cell sourcing, the high cost of autologous cell therapies, and the technical difficulties in ensuring transplanted cell survival and strategies to overcome barriers to clinical trial enrollment such as the ethical concerns of stem cell sourcing, the high cost of autologous cell therapies, and the technical difficulties in ensuring transplanted cell survival and equitable healthcare.

    Keywords: Stem Cells, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, disparities, South Carolina

    Received: 02 May 2024; Accepted: 16 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Mohamed, Lench, Grewal, Rosenberg and Voeks. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Ghada A. Mohamed, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.