The role of stem cells in the treatment of neurological diseases

Neurological diseases are among the most important causes of disability, reduced quality of life, and mortality in the world, and their prevalence is increasing dramatically with increasing life expectancy and the growth of the elderly population. Diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, and spinal cord injuries are mainly associated with neuronal destruction, impaired transmission of nerve signals, and reduced ability to regenerate neural tissue. Since central nervous system neurons have a limited capacity to divide and repair, current treatments focus more on controlling symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease and are usually unable to restore normal neural tissue function. In recent decades, advances in cellular and molecular biology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine have made the use of stem cells one of the most promising strategies for treating neurological diseases. Stem cells have a high capacity to replace damaged cells and regenerate nervous tissue due to their ability to self-renew, proliferate for a long time, and differentiate into various types of neural and glial cells. In addition, these cells provide a suitable environment for the repair and regeneration of the nervous system by secreting neurotrophic factors, reducing neuroinflammation, modulating the immune response, inhibiting programmed cell death (apoptosis), reducing oxidative stress, and stimulating the formation of new blood vessels. The aim of this article is to comprehensively review the role of stem cells in the treatment of neurological diseases, introduce different types of stem cells including embryonic, adult, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), describe the molecular and cellular mechanisms of their effects, review therapeutic applications in various diseases of the nervous system, and evaluate the advantages, limitations, and challenges of using this technology. The results of laboratory studies, animal research, and clinical trials conducted in recent years are also reviewed, and the future prospects for the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine and the treatment of neurological diseases are analyzed.

کلیدواژه ها:

Stem cells ، neurological diseases ، regenerative medicine ، neuron ، Parkinson's ، Alzheimer's ، spinal cord injury ، mesenchymal stem cells