First stroke rehabilitation drug that reestablishes brain connections discovered in mouse model
Varghese Johnmedicalxpress.com
First stroke rehabilitation drug that reestablishes brain connections discovered in mouse model
Stroke causes the brain to lose gamma oscillations. Successful physical rehabilitation in both laboratory mice and humans brought gamma oscillations back into the brain and, in the mouse model, repaired the lost connections of parvalbumin neurons.
Varghese John • First stroke rehabilitation drug that reestablishes brain connections discovered in mouse model
The UCLA team found that some of the connections that are lost after stroke occur in a cell called a parvalbumin neuron. This type of neuron helps generate a brain rhythm, termed a gamma oscillation, which links neurons together so that they form coordinated networks to produce a behavior, such as movement.
Varghese John • First stroke rehabilitation drug that reestablishes brain connections discovered in mouse model
In the study, Carmichael and his team sought to determine how physical rehabilitation improved brain function after a stroke and whether they could generate a drug that could produce these same effects.
Varghese John • First stroke rehabilitation drug that reestablishes brain connections discovered in mouse model
"Rehabilitation after stroke is limited in its actual effects because most patients cannot sustain the rehab intensity needed for stroke recovery.
"Further, stroke recovery is not like most other fields of medicine, where drugs are available that treat the disease—such as cardiology, infectious disease or cancer,"
"Further, stroke recovery is not like most other fields of medicine, where drugs are available that treat the disease—such as cardiology, infectious disease or cancer,"
Varghese John • First stroke rehabilitation drug that reestablishes brain connections discovered in mouse model
It reminded me of being told, ‘My husband had a bypass, and he’s already back at work.’
Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability because most patients do not fully recover from the effects of stroke. There are no drugs in the field of stroke recovery, requiring stroke patients to undergo physical rehabilitation, which has shown to be only modestly effective.