First Confirmation: Dental Pulp Stem Cells May Treat Chronic Cerebral Palsy

Image source: Nagoya University official website

# DentalGoodNews｜In March 2026, Nagoya University in Japan announced that its research team published a study in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, which for the first time demonstrated in an animal model that intravenous injection of human stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) can improve motor, learning, and memory functions in the chronic phase of cerebral palsy.

This research was led by Professor Yoshiaki Sato from the Maternal and Perinatal Center of Nagoya University Hospital and Dr. Takahiro Kanzawa from the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine. It is reported that the study utilized the Rice-Vannucci method to induce unilateral hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats, simulating a model of human hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Treatment was administered via intravenous injection of SHED stem cells during the chronic phase after symptom onset (at rat ages of 5, 7, and 9 weeks, roughly equivalent to the pre-adolescent period in humans).

Effects of SHED administration on motor and memory learning impairments in a cerebral palsy model

The experimental results showed that at 4 months of age, rats in the SHED group had lower gait scores in the horizontal ladder test compared to the control group, indicating better coordinated motor ability. In the cylinder test, the SHED group showed a reduced preference for using the impaired forelimb, suggesting a trend towards symmetrical use of both limbs and recovery of motor function. Furthermore, the shuttle avoidance test indicated that the avoidance rate of the SHED group improved during later training sessions (sets 4-6), suggesting enhanced learning and memory abilities.

The research team confirmed through in vivo imaging techniques that quantum dot-labeled SHED stem cells successfully migrated to the brain. Three-dimensional imaging revealed their primary distribution in the cortical region. In vitro cell experiments further compared the effects of SHED with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and skin fibroblasts, finding that SHED had a stronger ability to promote the proliferation of neural stem cells.

RNA sequencing analysis of co-cultured neural stem cells

The researchers pointed out that the high concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) secreted by SHED stem cells promoted neurogenesis and functional recovery by activating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Compared to traditional stem cell sources, stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth offer advantages such as easier collection, fewer ethical controversies, and the potential for autologous transplantation.

Currently, Nagoya University Hospital has initiated a clinical study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a single dose of autologous SHED intravenous injection in children with cerebral palsy. Professor Yoshiaki Sato stated that the team's ultimate goal is to establish a completely new treatment option for patients with cerebral palsy and their families.

The researchers noted that due to species differences between rats and humans in immune response and tissue integration, the relevant conclusions still require further validation through large-scale clinical human trials.