PURPOSE Lacunar stroke, in the context of small vessel disease, is a type of cerebral infarction caused by occlusion of a penetrating artery. Pulsatility index (PI) is an easily measurable parameter in Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) study. PI reflects distal cerebral vascular resistance and has been interpreted as a surrogate marker of small vessel disease. We hypothesized that an increa...

To investigate the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effect of L-serine, permanent focal cerebral ischemia was induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery while monitoring cerebral blood flow (CBF). Rats were divided into control and L-serine-treated groups after middle cerebral artery occlusion. The neurological deficit score and brain infarct volume were assessed. Nissl stainin...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) lower serum cholesterol and decrease the incidence of stroke and cardiovascular disease. There is growing evidence that statins exert some of their beneficial effects independent of cholesterol lowering. Indeed, we have previously demonstrated that chronic simvastatin administration upregul...

Both stroke and transient cerebral ischaemic attacks occurring in younger patients may be due to systemic lupus erythematosus. Other clinical features of the disease may be absent. Initially the ESR may be normal, as may serological tests. Seizures may occur at or near the time of the vascular events. Systemic lupus erythematosus may be the cause of an asymptomatic cerebral infarct or multi-inf...

Background: Probiotics are microorganisms that may influence brain function via altering brain neurochemistry. New research evidence suggests that probiotic bacteria might protect tissue damage through diminishing the production of free radicals and/or inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of probiotic bacteria on the prevention or reduction of brain...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cerebral ischemia and reperfusion is associated with activation of the coagulation cascade and fibrin deposition in cerebral microvessels. Both thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) attenuate fibrinolysis and are therefore attractive targets for the treatment of ischemic stroke. METHODS TAFI and PAI-1 were inhib...

Introduction: Based on our previous findings, the treatment of stem cells alone or in combination with thyroid hormone (T3) and mild exercise could effectively reduce the risk of stroke damage in young mice. However, it is unclear whether this treatment is effective in aged or middle-aged mice. Therefore, this study designed to assess whether combination of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (BMSCs) wit...

Objective(s): Glutamate is the most widespread neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and has several functions as a neuromodulator in the brain although in pathological conditions like ischemia it is excessively released causing cell death. Under physiological conditions, glutamate is rapidly scavenged from the synaptic cleft by excitatory amino-acid transport...

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, but the factors that contribute to the increased incidence and severity of ischemic stroke in hypertension remain to be determined. 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) has been reported to be a potent constrictor of cerebral arteries, and inhibitors of 20-HETE formation reduce infarct size following cerebral ischemia. The present study exami...