Clinical Studies of Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell Therapy in Stroke Patients

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in adults and the third cause of mortality worldwide. In the very acute phase of stroke, thrombolytics and endovascular thrombectomy can reduce stroke disability; however, only a small minority of patients receive these treatments. Once the neurological deficits are established, there are few options for recovery. In recent years, extensive cell therapy preclinical research has demonstrated a neurorestorative effect after cerebral ischemia. In cerebral ischemia animal models, bone marrow-derived stem cells improve neurological outcomes even in the long term, increasing brain plasticity and enhancing recovery mainly due to secretion of growth factors and cytokines.