Regenerative Medicine in Pervasive Development Disorder: Healing Brain

A more general phrase for several neurodevelopmental diseases is “pervasive developmental disorder.” More cases can be correctly identified with improved diagnostic tools and increased awareness.  The understanding of the disorder is increasing, prompting several changes in its diagnostic criteria and treatment options. This article details the information about this disorder and the available treatment approaches.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)

The term Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) encompasses heterogeneous disorders that exhibit social and communication deficits along with restricted behaviors. Introduced in the 1980s, the term describes the disorders that impede normal development (developmental disorder) and affect several areas of development (pervasive). They are diagnosed in early childhood and affect the entire life of an individual.

It included autism, Rett’s disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and childhood disintegrative disorder. However, in 2013, DSM-5 replaced the term PDD with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), comprising all types except Rett’s disorder.

Causes of Pervasive Developmental Disorder or ASD

The causes and mechanisms behind ASD remain elusive. The accepted hypothesis is the impairment in neural connectivity.  Other theories suggest the role of inflammation, disruption in nerve cell migration, and impaired immune response. The imaging studies show variations in neural pathways, brain size, and aberrant growth. At the cellular level, mitochondrial dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, oxidative stress, etc., are the underlying pathways resulting in ASD. The causes are genetic, epigenetic, and environmental.

Genetic Causes

A family history of PDD or ASD is the cause in a significant number of cases. Numerous genes have been identified for this heterogeneous disorder, including the ones responsible for neural connectivity and those involved in gene expression.

Epigenetic Causes

Epigenetic variations also cause susceptibility to PDD or ASD. The pathways affected by these variations include the transmission of signals between nerve cells, ion flux responsible for signal transmission, immune response, etc.

Environmental Causes

These include prior exposure to environmental factors during the prenatal stage—for instance, antidepressants, air pollutants, heavy metals, viral infections, antibiotics, etc. Additionally, gestational diabetes, maternal obesity, maternal age, etc., could also cause ASD.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder: Symptoms and Diagnosis

It can be identified at an early age by the following symptoms:

• lack of response to their name,

• not pointing at objects,

• no engagement in imaginative play

• avoid eye contact

• tendency to self-isolate

• delayed speech or language development

• repeating words or phrases

• couldn’t accommodate minor changes

• difficulty understanding others’ feelings

• couldn’t express their feelings

• repetitive movements

• unusual reactions to light, sound, smell, etc.

Healthcare professionals conduct comprehensive screening tests to identify cognitive, language, and motor skill delays. The clinician records a family history to determine the cause of ASD. Furthermore, any physical symptoms are also examined. Questionnaires like the Social Communication Questionnaire and the Autism Diagnostic Inventory-revised are structured to analyze the history of symptoms. Two tools, the autism diagnostic observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) and the childhood autism rating scale provide detailed symptoms through a series of activities.

Comorbidities

Many individuals with ASD have at least one comorbidity or co-occurring medical condition, such as sleeping issues, eating problems, migraine, obesity, gastrointestinal problems, neurological diseases such as cerebral palsy, macrocephaly, epilepsy, etc. These individuals also suffer from psychiatric challenges such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity, mood swings, anxiety, etc. They also tend to have self-injurious and aggressive behavior.

Treatments for ASD

Clinicians recommend early intervention after the confirmation of diagnosis. The pharmacological approach to ASD treats neuropsychiatric symptoms like self-harm, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, etc., with antipsychotics, antidepressants, and psychostimulants. Rehabilitative therapies are another strategy for dealing with ASD. They help patients become more functionally independent in order to enhance their quality of life. Some of these treatments are occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, and speech therapy. They may be comprehensive programs that monitor progress over time, or they could be tailored to the requirements and objectives of specific individuals.  These therapies include education for parents or caregivers to strengthen their communication with the autistic child.

Regenerative Medicine: An Innovative Approach

None of those treatments, as mentioned earlier, act on the pathology of ASD or alleviate symptoms. The rising ASD cases have prompted research on finding an effective treatment. In regard to the same, scientists have focused their attention towards stem cell therapy. As a part of Regenerative Medicine, it can restore any damage and reinstate tissue function. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) infusion has shown improvements in motor and communication skills as well as the severity of the disorder in early clinical trials. The stem cell therapy has not demonstrated any complications, deeming it safe.

Conclusion

ASD or PDD is a complex disorder affecting individuals throughout their entire lives. It extends from the common symptoms to developing comorbidities. Rehabilitation therapies help individuals tread through life. However, there are no treatment options that can act on the disorder or alleviate the symptoms. Thus, as a last resort, researchers have looked to stem cells. With no negative side effects, stem cell therapy has shown promise in treating ASD, giving autistic people hope. With scientific progress, stem cell therapy will eventually become the norm.  Advancells have been keeping this hope alive by providing premium-quality stem cells that have undergone a series of high-throughput tests to ensure high quality.