Cerebral palsy is a group of permanent movement and posture disorders caused by brain injury during fetal development or early life. It is the most common physical disability in childhood, and while the brain injury itself is static, muscles, joints, and function change over time and require ongoing management.
What's actually going on in research
Cell therapies — particularly umbilical cord blood infusions and mesenchymal stem cell therapies — are in clinical trials to see whether they can reduce neuroinflammation and improve motor function, especially when given close to the time of injury. Botulinum toxin injections to reduce spasticity are well-established, and trials are refining dosing schedules and combining them with intensive physical therapy and brain stimulation. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques are being tested to promote neuroplasticity during intensive rehabilitation.
Cord blood cell therapy
Infusions of a child's own or donor umbilical cord blood are being tested in controlled trials for their potential to modulate brain inflammation and improve motor outcomes.
Brain stimulation plus therapy
Combining transcranial direct current or magnetic brain stimulation with intensive motor therapy is being tested to enhance neuroplasticity and upper limb function.
Intrathecal baclofen refinement
Trials are optimizing programming, timing, and patient selection for intrathecal baclofen pumps, which deliver spasticity medication directly to the spinal fluid.
What to know before you search
Eligibility commonly requires confirmed CP diagnosis, age range (many cell therapy trials focus on young children), GMFCS level, and for some trials, timing relative to the initial brain injury.
What types of trials are currently open
- Cell therapy trials — Testing cord blood, stem cell, and regenerative therapies to improve motor function and reduce spasticity.
- Rehabilitation trials — Comparing intensive motor therapy protocols, constraint-induced movement therapy, and bimanual training.
- Brain stimulation trials — Evaluating non-invasive brain stimulation combined with therapy to enhance motor learning.
- Spasticity management trials — Testing botulinum toxin, intrathecal baclofen, and selective dorsal rhizotomy approaches.
- Technology trials — Evaluating robotic therapy, virtual reality, and brain-computer interfaces for motor rehabilitation.
Recently added Cerebral Palsy trials
Individualized Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Parkinsonian Disorders
This clinical trial aims to evaluate whether individualized targeted repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with parkinsonian disorders. The main question it aims to answer is: * Does individualized targeted rTMS alleviate symptoms of parkinsonian disorders? * Which clinical manifestations of parkinsonian syndromes are responsive to individualized targeted rTMS, and to what degree? Procedures: * Preparation (Screening) Participants will undergo clinical assessments, MRI, and EEG before the treatment. * Treatment (2 Weeks) Participants will receive a 10-day TMS treatment (once daily, Monday-Friday). Each treatment day takes approximately 3-4 hours. Participants need to keep stable medications and rehabilitation routines during this time. * Follow-up (10 Weeks) Participants will undergo follow-up assessments at the end of treatment and 10 weeks after treatment. Assessments include clinical scales, MRI, and EEG.
Safety and Effectiveness of Bambini Kids Robot-Assisted Gait Training (RAGT) in Children With Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common cause of gait impairment in children, leading to limitations in mobility and daily activities. Although conventional physical therapy is widely used, it has limitations in delivering consistent and intensive training. Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) has emerged as a promising approach to provide repetitive, high-intensity, and task-specific training, with potential benefits in gait function and motor performance. The Bambini Kids exoskeleton is a pediatric robotic device designed to assist lower-limb movements, including hip, knee, and ankle joints, to facilitate more natural gait patterns. This study aims to evaluate the safety and clinical performance of Bambini Kids in children with cerebral palsy and to generate clinical evidence to support its use in real-world rehabilitation settings.
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