Abstract: A method of treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other neurological disorders is presented herein. Both conditioned media (CM) containing long non-coding RNAs such as NEAT1 (nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1) and MALAT1 (metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1) as well as human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) themselves (Tx), when administered at least 3 hours post injury, were found to significantly ameliorate motor and cognitive functions in young, but not aged, mice undergoing TBI. Significant reduction in cortical damage and hippocampal cell loss was observed in both Tx and CM groups in young rats, whereas less neuroprotection was detected in the aged rats and mainly in the Tx group but not the CM group, which may in part result from decreased homing of the cells to the spleen.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for enhancing the neuroprotective effect of umbilical cord blood cells. More particularly, the present invention provides methods of treating neurodegenerative disorders by administering umbilical cord blood cells and a substance capable of permeabilizing the blood brain barrier. In one embodiment, the blood brain barrier permeabilizer is mannitol. In another embodiment, the blood brain barrier permeabilizer is Cereport.