Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation Improves Neural Electrophysiological Function in Patients with ALS

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease. In recent years, numerous experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of autologous stem cell transplantation. Electrophysiological measurements are critical to assess the progress and evaluate the prognosis of ALS. The electrophysiological measurements include nerve conduction velocity (NCV), motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV), F-wave, and electromyography (EMG) of motor neurons. The present research examined whether autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) could improve neural electrophysiological function in 21 patients with ALS. Methods: 21 patients with ALS were injected with autologous peripheral blood stem cells, and the measurements were assessed prior to APBSCT at 1, 3, and 6 months after transplantation. The analyses were performed using SPSS for Windows 17.0. Results: APBSCT increased the amplitude of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and the frequency of the F-wave. This increase was significant at the 6-month follow-up. We failed to detect improvement in the MCV or the distal motor latency (DML). Conclusions: These preliminary observations suggest that APBSCT improved the electrophysiological function of motor neurons in ALS patients and therefore slowed the progression of the disease.