Mesenchymal stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases: Advancements, challenges, and opportunities
Recommended Citation
Rizvi FAS, Jimoh Y, Allouh MZ, Rahmon D, Chaudhry GR. Mesenchymal stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases: Advancements, challenges, and opportunities. Neural Regen Res. 2026.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-28-2026
Publication Title
Neural Regen Res
Keywords
Alzheimer’s disease; Huntington’s disease; Parkinson’s disease; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; cell therapy; mesenchymal stem cells; multiple sclerosis; neurodegenerative diseases; neuroregeneration
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, retinal degenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, continue to pose a significant clinical challenge due to the progressive loss of neural tissue structure and function. Stem cell-based therapies are gaining attention for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells, particularly those derived from perinatal tissues, exhibit remarkable plasticity, along with immunomodulatory, neurotrophic, and regenerative capabilities. Mesenchymal stem cells primarily influence their environment through paracrine signaling and can also differentiate into neural lineages, aiding in neuronal repair. Tissue-specific progenitor cells, such as neural stem cells and retinal progenitor cells, offer greater therapeutic precision. This review examines advancements in mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, discusses relevant clinical trials, and highlights the challenges, while proposing that personalized regenerative treatments utilizing lineage-restricted progenitors may improve patient outcomes in these complex disorders.
PubMed ID
41778725
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
