The effect of stem cell therapy of chronic spinal cord injury studied by the somatosensory evoked potentials method

A.A. Frolov, A.S. Bryukhovetskiy (Department Of Cell Restorative Medicine, Russian State Medical University, Moscow, Russia)

The study involved 11 adult patients with chronic (2-5 years) traumatic spinal cord injury at C3-C7. Stem cell therapy constituted the repeated intrathecal infusions of autologous hematopoietic stem cells made every 3 months. No surgery was performed. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were elicited by electric stimulation of the nerves: right median (SEPrm), left median (SEPlm), right tibial (SEPrt) and left tibial (SEPlt). The electrodes were placed according to the international 10-20 system. Active: Cz’ for SEPrt and SEPlt, C3’ for SEPrm and C4’ for SEPlm. Reference: Fz. Recordings made prior to the stem cell therapy revealed the absence of short-latency SEPrm in 1 patient, SEPlm - in 3 patients, SEPrt – in 7 and SEPlt – in 7 patients. For the other cases latencies of principle components: N20 (SEPrm and SEPlm) and P40 (SEPrt and SEPlt) were measured. RESULTS. After 1 year of stem cell therapy short latency SEPrm were restored in none of the patients, SEPlm - in 2 patients, SEPrt – in 2 and SEPlt – in 2 patients. SEPs made every 3 months since the first transfusion showed the stability of the described changes. The mean decrease of N20 latency (ms) was 0.36+1.07. The mean decrease of P40 latency was 0.98+1.74. CONCLUSION. The restoration of short-latency SEPs is interpreted as positive dynamics, demonstrating the restoration of spinal afferent pathways. The significance of the other positive effect - shortening of latency – should be verified in the further studies.