2025/07/30 by Mingrui Yang, Hongyan Pei, Haoyuan Yin +3 · 1 voice
Medicine · #Mesenchymal stem cell research #Traumatic Brain Injury Research #Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances
paper · doi:10.4103/regenmed.regenmed-d-25-00029
openalex publication_date 2025/07/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Objectives: Currently, there are no specific pharmacological treatments available for traumatic brain injury; however, clinical management primarily relies on symptomatic interventions. Mesenchymal stem cells have emerged as a promising therapeutic avenue for traumatic brain injury due to their immunomodulatory properties, which facilitate immune response modulation to mitigate neuroinflammation and enhance neural repair. Research activity in this field has been expanding; however, there is a notable absence of bibliometric studies that comprehensively summarize the advancements. This study aimed to map the global research landscape, identify key trends, and pinpoint emerging hotspots in mesenchymal stem cell therapy for traumatic brain injury over the past two decades. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive retrieval of references pertaining to mesenchymal stem cell therapy for traumatic brain injury from the Web of Science database, covering the period from January 1, 2001 to October 12, 2024. We subsequently performed visualization analyses of countries, authors, publishers, institutions, references, and keywords using CiteSpace 6.4.R1. Results: A total of 608 publications from 431 institutions were identified, and the volume of publications peaked in 2020 and has experienced a slight decline in recent years. The USA publishes the largest number of references, followed by China and Japan. Charles S. Cox was the most prolific author who is dedicated to research on progenitor cell (stem cell)-based therapeutics for the treatment of traumatic brain injury and related neurological impairments. The most common keywords were traumatic brain injury, mesenchymal stem cells, transplantation, functional recovery, marrow stromal cells, stromal cells, stem cells, spinal cord injury, bone marrow, and expression. The current research focuses on mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of traumatic brain injury, including treatment mechanisms, exosomes, the origin of mesenchymal stem cells, and drug administration carriers. Conclusion: This study underscores mesenchymal stem cells as a transformative approach for traumatic brain injury, with robust preclinical evidence and evolving clinical applications. While challenges in homing, survival, and personalization persist, interdisciplinary innovations in bioengineering, genomics, and regenerative medicine hold promise for overcoming these barriers. Continued collaboration between basic and clinical researchers will be essential to unlock the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells and improve outcomes for traumatic brain injury patients.