There are very promising studies showing that umbilical cord blood has the ability to reverse the brain damage. The exact mechanism is unknown and that is why significant research on umbilical cord blood stem cells and brain damage happens to a number of different centers.
Researchers using animal models of brain injury and spinal cord, have been able to demonstrate that the cells of umbilical cord blood migrate to the damaged area of the brain and release growth factors and repair which work with neural stem cells in the brain and to reverse significantly damage to tissue and improve brain function. An important area of research focuses on the ability of cord blood to treat children with cerebral palsy. A study led by Dr. Kurtzberg at Duke University, is to treat children with cerebral palsy by giving them their own cord stem cells through a simple intravenous infusion. Similar studies are underway at the University of Texas and a clinical trial at Medical College of Georgia is done.
Studies at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto showed that cells from umbilical cord blood are able to improve the mobility of spinal cord injured animals. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood are thought to function by providing factors that help tissue repair.
Click here for more information http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20581748
Reference: SJ Chua, R Bielecki, Yamanaka N, Fehlings MG, IM Rogers, Casper RF. The effect of the umbilical cord blood cells on the experimental results after a spinal cord injury. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2010 Jul 15; 35 (16) :. 1520-6