Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal progressive central neurological disorder. It is caused by the degeneration of nerve cells and motor neurons that are responsible for controlling the voluntary muscles. The disorder can cause muscle weakness and atrophy in many areas of the body.
Stem cells are produced in the bone marrow. They are immature cells that have the potential to self-generate themselves into many different cell types in the body. Autologus stem cell therapy is when the patients own stem cells are used to treat the condition. Bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells are collected from the patient and then frozen and stored until they are needed. Alternatively, the stem cells originate from a donor, this is the allongenic approach.
The stem cells are then implanted into the patient where they can self-generate into new cells, replacing the damaged motor neurons. This should therefore slow the progression of the disease.