Study looks into effect of stem cells on cerebral palsy

A new study into cerebral palsy is investigating whether stem cells may help improve cerebral palsy symptoms in children with the disorder. Stem cells are young, have not fully matured and can divide and grow into different types of cells found throughout the body. They are generally collected from umbilical cord blood after a child is born, which is packed with the cells. The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta is studying whether stem cells can fix and replace the damaged cells in the brains of children who suffer from cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a disorder, sometimes considered a group of disorders, that affects the nervous system and brain and can impair thought and motor functions. This cutting-edge study is the first that will test the effects of injecting umbilical cord blood into young cerebral palsy patients. However, some related research, as well as anecdotal evidence, has shown that children do seem to improve about three months after the infusion. United Cerebral Palsy estimates that there are more than 800,000 people living in the United States with the condition.