Written based on 19 research studies on PubMed, searched on 2026. nov. 11..
The claim
Posts online say that stem cell treatment helps with depression.
Where research stands
We found 29 published papers on stem cell treatment and depression. They were published between 2005 and 2026. None of them is a study in people. 7 were studies in animals, and 3 were only in cells in the lab. 8 papers are reviews that sum up other studies. 38 research projects on stem cell treatment for depression are funded and still running.
- 0In people
- 7In animals
- 3Only in the lab
What the studies found
We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.
Verdict
Stem cell treatment has been studied for depression in animals, not yet in people.
Unproven means: it was only tested in animals or cells, or there is too little or mixed data from people. How we rate claims
What this means for you: Results in animals or in cells often do not hold in people. Do not stop or change your medicines because of it. Ask your doctor before you start taking it.
Sources
- Innovative Stem Cell-Based Therapeutic Modalities to Address Major Depression and Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Review.2025 · Cell J · Review
- The Therapeutic Potential of Stem Cells in Depression.2025 · Int J Mol Sci · Review
- Therapeutic potential and mechanisms of stem cells in major depressive disorder: a comprehensive review.2024 · Front Pharmacol · Review
- Induce Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) Technology in Depression.2024 · Adv Exp Med Biol · Review
- Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells: Tools to advance the understanding and drug discovery in Major Depressive Disorder.2024 · Psychiatry Res · Review
- Human induced pluripotent stem cells technology in treatment resistant depression: novel strategies and opportunities to unravel ketamine's fast-acting antidepressant mechanisms.2020 · Ther Adv Psychopharmacol · Review
- Behavioral and Molecular Effects of Kamikihito and Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Two-hit Model of Treatment-resistant Depression.2026 · Curr Neuropharmacol · In animals
- Generation of two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines (HZSMHCI001-A and HZSMHCI004-A) from a mother-child dyad with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.2026 · Stem Cell Res · In animals
- Intranasal administration of exosomes derived from adipose mesenchymal stem cells ameliorates depressive-like behaviors and inhibits inflammation via AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy.2025 · J Affect Disord · In animals
- A resource of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines including clinical, genomic, and cellular data from genetically isolated families with mood and psychotic disorders.2023 · Transl Psychiatry · In animals
- hUC-MSCs ameliorated CUMS-induced depression by modulating complement C3 signaling-mediated microglial polarization during astrocyte-microglia crosstalk.2020 · Brain Res Bull · In animals
- Cell encapsulation enhances antidepressant effect of the mesenchymal stem cells and counteracts depressive-like behavior of treatment-resistant depressed rats.2020 · Mol Psychiatry · In animals
- Chronic cortisol differentially impacts stem cell-derived astrocytes from major depressive disorder patients.2021 · Transl Psychiatry · In the lab
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) Technology: Potential Targets for Depression.2021 · Adv Exp Med Biol · In the lab
- Neural stem cell proliferation is decreased in schizophrenia, but not in depression.2006 · Mol Psychiatry · In the lab
- Corrigendum to "Generation of two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines (HZSMHCI001-A and HZSMHCI004-A) from a mother-child dyad with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder" [Stem Cell Res. 91 (2026) 103920].2026 · Stem Cell Res · Other paper
- N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids promote astrocyte differentiation and neurotrophin production independent of cAMP in patient-derived neural stem cells.2021 · Mol Psychiatry · Other paper
- Generation of two human induced pluripotent stem cell lines, UNIBSi012-A and UNIBSi013-A, from two patients with treatment-resistant depression.2020 · Stem Cell Res · Other paper
- Effect of parental depression level on children's quality of life after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.2017 · Eur J Oncol Nurs · Other paper
