Clinical application of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in children with severe mental retardation / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of transplantation with autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of children with severe mental retardation (MR). Methods Fifty children with severe MR (2-6 years old), admitted to our hospital from May 2008 to December 2009, were chosen; self-control observation on the mental and motor developments of these children in the same length of time periods was performed 6 months before and 6 months after the autologous bone marrow MSCs transplantation. Meanwhile, the improvements of each patient were followed up and analyzed 1, 3 and 6 months after the transplantation. Results Two patients failed in the culture of bone marrow MSCs; 6 patients failed in follow-up; the other 42 were observed completely.Significant improvement was noted in 25 patients after the transplantation with an effective rate reaching 59.5%; gradual mental and motor improvements appeared in these 25 patients 1 month after the transplantation, and lasted till the 6th month of transplantation. The average scores of mental improvement were (4.67±4.20) in 6 months before transplantation, and (17.12±13.05) in 6 months after transplantation (t=6.816, P=0.000). The average times having gross motor improvement 6 months before and 6 months after transplantation were (1.019±0.78) and (1.15±0.91), respectively (t=1.610, P＞0.05); the average times having fine motor improvement were (0.89±0.79) and (3.40±3.16) months in 6 months before and 6months after transplantation (t=5.030, P＜0.05); the average times having language improvement were (0.99±0.95) and (3.23±3.30) months in 6 months before and 6 months after transplantation (t=4.000, P＜0.05); the average times having personal-social behavior progress were (1.03±0.81) and (2.95±3.68)months in 6 months before and 6 months after transplantation (t=3.509, P＜0.05); the average times having adaptive behavior progress were (0.88±1.22) and (1.19±1.48) months in 6 months before and 6 months after transplantation (t=1.322, P＞0.05). Conclusion Autologous bone marrow MSCs transplantation can improve the intellectual development in a short time, mainly in the fine motor, language and personal-social behavior, in children with severe MR. Bone marrow MSCs transplantation for severe MR is safe and effective in a short-term.