Still laughing at the comment last week, by a rando suggesting that stem cells could cure cerebral palsy.
My sweet summer child, that’s not how it works at all.
Let’s unpack this idea:
Stem cells would not do anything, because the brain damage has already been done, way back when the fetus was still in the uterus, or during the birth process. Certain parts of the cerebellum (the part at the base of the brain, which controls things like muscle control, movement, and also fine-tunes signals from the brain to the rest of the body) are atrophied or unresponsive.
Regenerating those bits would not filter down into the nervous system in the way you think. The stem cells would just sit there, doing nothing, taking up valuable room in a cramped environment.
But let’s say the cells actually did regenerate damaged or missing bits of the brain.
Problem: the nerves and muscles would need to be completely rewired, meaning an extremely long stay in ICU, followed by years of painful rehab. Stem cells wouldn’t be able to loosen ligaments, tendons and muscles.
If the patient survived having the top of the skull removed, and new cells being squirted into the brain, without ICP spiking and killing them during or after surgery, they would have to relearn how to do everything, like a baby does, from scratch.
Nobody with cerebral palsy wants to be in this scenario just to fulfil some eugenics pipe dream of eliminating all disabilities.
Stem cells just aren’t as good as you think they are.
