Could Stem Cells Treat Autism? Newly Approved Study May Tell

FRIDAY, Oct. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Autism researchers have been given the go-ahead by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to launch a small study in children with autism that evaluates whether a child's own umbilical cord blood may be an effective treatment.

Thirty children with the disorder, aged 2 to 7, will receive injections of their own stem cells from umbilical cord blood banked by their parents after their births. All of the cord blood comes from the Cord Blood Registry, the world's largest stem cell bank.

Scientists at Sutter Neuroscience Institute, in Sacramento, Calif., said the placebo-controlled study will evaluate whether the stem cell therapy helps improve language and behavior in the youngsters.

There is anecdotal evidence that stem cell infusions may have a benefit in other conditions such as cerebral palsy, said lead study investigator Dr. Michael Chez, director of pediatric neurology at the institute.

"We're hoping we'll see in the autism population a group of patients that also responds," Chez said. Other autism and stem cell research is going on abroad, but this study is the first to use a child's own cord blood stem cells.

Chez said the study will involve only patients whose autism is not linked to a genetic syndrome or brain injury, and all of the children will eventually receive the stem cells.

Two infusions will take place during the 13-month study. At the start of the research, the children will be split into two groups, half receiving an infusion of cord blood stem cells and half receiving a placebo. At six months, the groups will swap therapies. The infusions will be conducted on an outpatient basis with close monitoring, Chez said.

"We're working with Sutter Children's Hospital, who does our oncology infusions with the same-age children," he said. "They are very experienced nurses who work with preschool and school-age kids to help them get through medical experiences."

Each child and his or her parents will be given a private room with a television and videos, beverages, and perhaps a visit from the hospital's canine therapy dog, and then a topical anesthetic will be applied to the arm to numb the skin before intravenous needle placement. A hematology expert will be giving the infusions and monitoring for safety, said Chez, who noted that each child will be watched closely for an hour and a half before heading home. They will be seen the next day as well for a safety check.

At six, 12 and 24 weeks, the researchers will measure behavioral and language changes in the children, and other changes noted by parents and the children's doctors will be logged as well.

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Could Stem Cells Treat Autism? Newly Approved Study May Tell