Abstract

Aim: This article aims to study the benefits and disadvantages of stem cell therapy, especially for patients who have dementia.

Methods: The databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and the National Library of Medicine were searched for literature. All papers on Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's disease, stem cell therapy, and its effect on dementia treatment were considered.

Results: Stem cell treatment has demonstrated promising outcomes in animal studies by positively modifying the degenerative alterations in dementia. However, it is not without drawbacks, such as ethical concerns while using embryonic stem cells and the danger of developing cancer if the cells undergo uncontrolled differentiation.

Conclusion: Although stem cell therapy has its risks, it has the potential to be a viable therapeutic option for patients with dementia if developed appropriately. Hence, more research and clinical trials are needed to establish its efficacy in this context.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Lewy body dementia; Parkinson's disease; dementia; stem cells.

© 2022 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest declared.

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