Why are stem cells used in CNS treatment?
Stem cells are used in CNS injury treatment due to the generative nature. When CNS
injuries occur nerve cells are lost, mature nerve cells that remain can not divide and
replenish the lost nerve cells.
How they work?
Stem cells from the nose of the patient is used (so that it is less likely to be rejected). The
stem cells are put in a jelly like lattice of amino acid called hydrogels. Which can fill the
cavity of the injured areas (e.g spinal cord and people who have had a stroke). This will
create the environment where the neurones can grow as the gel supports the cells and
allows transmission of chemical signals that allow neural development.
Advantages
• The stem cells are naturally occurring as the stem cells come from the
patient or a embryo.
• It is more effective than other treatments
Disadvantages
• It is an expensive treatment
• The availability of the sources like embryo. The embryonic stems is the
most specialised for different organs whereas adult stems will only create
cells for specifies organs. Lots of people dislike the idea of using
embryonic stems as it often means that the formation of life is stopped.
• Also there are only a few hospitals and doctors that are able to offer this
stem cell treatment.
• Short- term memory stores information about things that have just happened and
are currently happening.
• Long- term memory is the store of autobiographical information, language,
acquired knowledge and much more
• Short- term memory is more likely to be effected by strokes than long- term
memory. Also the person will show a loss of attention and concentration.
• People who have suffered a left-brain stroke are more likely to suffer short- term
memory problems but long- term memory is normally preserved. They may have
difficulty learning new information so things will probably need to be repeated
and reminded several times.
• People who have suffered a right-brain stroke have other memory problems. As
they can get things of sequence or misinterpret or confuse information. So they
may mix up the details surrounding a event, as they can remember the event but
get confused about who was involved and where it happened.
• Rehabilitation therapy: helps to re-train the brain to think and understand
and improve the patients ability to speak, move and feel.
• Speech therapy: re-educates the patient to speak, understand, read,
write, solve problems and improve memory.
• Cognitive therapy
• New technology: a virtual reality environment onto a 180° curved display
screen which fills the users view. It then shows that persons family, home,
familiar places and so forth. In pictures, films, sound or a mix of these
things depending on the patients condition.
How people caring for stroke patient can
help regain some of their short term
memory
• Showing photos: to help identify people they used to know.
• Showing photos in magazines or newspapers: to help identify some of the
well-known people shown.
• Playing a game: where a tray of objects is shown and then covered up so
that they then have to remember as many of the objects they have just
seen.
• By having a large calendar in every room: so that the patient can keep
track of the days.
• Leaving clear reminder notes around the house : so that the patient knows
what they should be doing and when.