New Frontiers: Can Stem Cell Therapy Help Treat Autism?

Written by Mary Jensen MA, BSN, RN

STEM CELL THERAPY

Stem cell therapy harnesses stem cells' unique properties to repair or regenerate tissues and organs. Recent research has explored the application of stem cell therapy in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This article examines the unique properties of stem cells, the mechanisms of stem cell therapy, and current medical applications for ASD.

Stem cell therapy, or regenerative medicine, promotes the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. Stem cells identify sites of injury or disease in the body; the cells can then differentiate into the type of cell necessary to repair or replace damaged tissue. In addition, they reduce inflammation and promote healing. Regenerative medicine is an emerging area of science that holds great promise for treating and even curing various injuries and diseases.  Researchers are highly optimistic that stem cell research can increase understanding of how diseases occur, generate healthy cells to replace cells affected by disease, and utilize stem cells to test drugs for safety, quality, and efficacy.

HOW DO STEM CELLS WORK

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to replicate themselves. They can develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are stromal cells that can self-renew and exhibit multilineage differentiation. MSCs can be isolated from various tissues, such as the umbilical cord, endometrial polyps, menstrual blood, bone marrow, and adipose tissue. The ease of harvest and quantity obtained make these sources most practical for experimental and possible clinical applications.  Pluripotent stem cells (embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells) can differentiate into all of the cells of the adult body. Nonembryonic or somatic stem cells (commonly called “adult” stem cells) are found in a tissue or organ. They can differentiate to yield the specialized cell types of that tissue or organ. Stem cells can also recreate functional tissues.  

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first 2 years of life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the prevalence of ASD has increased dramatically between 2000 and 2020. In 2000, approximately 1 in 150 children had been identified with ASD By 2020, approximately 1 in 36 children had been identified with ASD, according to estimates from the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.

SYMPTOMS OF ASD

Psychiatrists and other clinicians rely on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to define autism and its symptoms. The DSM-5 definition recognizes two main symptom areas:

1.      Deficits in social communication and interaction

2.      Restricted, repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities

These symptoms appear early in a child’s development, although diagnosis may occur later. Autism is diagnosed when symptoms cause developmental challenges that are not better explained by other conditions.  Pediatricians or early childhood health providers typically screen for developmental delays at well-child visits. Specific autism screening is completed at the 18-month and 24-month well-child visits.

THE BRAIN OF A CHILD WITH ASD

Functional MRI data have demonstrated differences in people with ASD relative to controls in efficiency of visual processing, executive function, language, and basic and complex social processing skills. Functional MRI in research settings demonstrates differences in the mechanisms of attention to social stimuli, modulation in response to task demands or intensity of stimuli, and executive function in people with ASD. Functional underconnectivity has also been demonstrated across various brain regions that support language, executive function, social cognition, emotion processing, and motor tasks, especially for long-range, frontal-posterior networks.

STEM CELL TREATMENT FOR ASD

Traditionally, treatments for ASD include medications, behavioral, psychological, and educational interventions.  Given the limitations of current therapies, there is a pressing need for novel approaches that can effectively regenerate damaged neural tissue, replace lost neurons, and promote functional recovery in neurological disorders. By utilizing stem cells' capacity for regeneration, stem cell-based therapies have become a viable option for treating the underlying pathophysiology of neurological illnesses. Because of their capacity to self-renew and differentiate into distinct cell types, stem cells are desirable in regenerative medicine.

IS STEM CELL THERAPY EFFECTIVE?

The success rate of stem cell therapy varies depending on the condition treated, but recent studies have shown promising results. For example, stem cell transplants have a success rate of 60-70% in treating certain types of blood cancers. In regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy is used for joint repair. Autoimmune or inflammatory conditions have reported success rates of around 80%.

The impact of having a child with ASD on other family members and society is considerable. Parents of children with ASD report more stress and increased costs than do parents who do not have a child with ASD. More than half of families report that a parent needs to cut back on work or stop working because of the child's care needs. The most significant societal costs associated with ASD are special education, residential care, and lost days of caregiver work. Stem cell therapy is an essential addition to the current treatments offered for ASD.

Research Articles

National Institutes of Health Stem Cell Information: Stem Cell Basics  https://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/stc-basics 

National Institutes of Health Regenerative Medicine Innovation Project https://www.nih.gov/rmi

Introduction to Stem Cell Therapy https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4104807/

Stem Cell Therapy: Overview, Benefits & Risks https://www.dvcstem.com/post/stem-cell-therapy#:~:text=Adult%20stem%20cell%20therapy%20may,a%20cure%20for%20these%20conditions. 

Stem cells: What are they and what do they do? https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-marrow-transplant/in-depth/stem-cells/art-20048117

What is Autism https://autism.org/what-is-autism/#:~:text=Autism%20is%20a%20developmental%20disorder%20with

Diagnosing and managing autism spectrum disorder https://www.apa.org/topics/autism-spectrum-disorder/diagnosing#:~:text=Psychologists%20can%20play%20an%20important%20role

Data and Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/

Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: American Academy of Pediatrics (2020) https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/1/e20193447/36917/Identification-Evaluation-and-Management-of?autologincheck=redirecte 

 National Institute of Mental Health: Autism Spectrum Disorder https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd#part_2283

Stem cell therapies for neurological disorders: current progress, challenges, and future perspectives. https://eurjmedres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40001-024-01987-1

Stem Cell Success Rate: Evaluated (2024) Louis A. Cona, MD  https://www.dvcstem.com/post/stem-cell-success-rate 

Mesenchymal stem cells https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21396235/ 

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