• Can Engrafted Neural Stem Cells Amend Behavioral Deficits in Alzheimer’s Disease?
  • houri hosseinalizadeh seighalani,1,* Amir hossein adljou safaii,2
    1. Paramedical School of Langeroud, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Guilan, Iran
    2. School Of Allied Medical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran


  • Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a form of progressive and irreversible dementia that results from the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques (Aβ) in the neuronal environment. In recent years, stem cell therapy (SCT) to the degenerative neurological disorders have provided the basic for the development of new therapeutic strategies but there are still many significant hindrances toward progressing to effective methods for SCT. In this article we will review whether and how engrafted neural stem cell (NSCs) can improve cognition in AD.
  • Methods: This review article has been extracted from 7 article that has indexed in PubMed and Google Scholar and published from year 2016 to 2022. The search terms include “Neural Stem Cell”, “Alzheimer’s Disease” and “Transplantation”.
  • Results: NSC engraftment to the brain of transgenic AD mice reduced Aβ42 peptide levels and plaque formation as well as the levels of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1B and IL-6 that can improve cerebrovascular function. While NSC therapy improved performance on the Morris water maze test which is necessary for spatial learning and memory function in young mice. Notably, the levels of neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vessel density in the cortex and nerve fiber density in the hippocampus of NSC-injected mice were significantly enhanced.
  • Conclusion: NSC transplantation may influence spatial memory and behavioral deficits in AD by reducing Aβ plaques and proinflammatory cytokine levels and improving the level of neurotrophic factors and nerve fiber density in the cortex and hippocampus. However, further studies are required to confirm the positive impact of NSC transplantation on AD.
  • Keywords: Neural Stem Cell, Alzheimer’s Disease, Transplantation