| Prompt stroke treatments are vital since brain | | | | with both front legs. Rats that have had a stroke |
| damage can begin within minutes. But new | | | | will use just one leg, favoring their weak side. |
| research may lead to therapies that restore brain | | | | When walking, the injured rats will move toward |
| and body function well after the stroke has | | | | their good side. |
| occurred. It could open a whole new world of | | | | For the trial, rats were injected with TGF alpha |
| stroke treatments. | | | | about a month after having a stroke – equal |
| A stroke happens when a blood vessel in the | | | | to about a year in humans. A month later they |
| brain gets blocked or bursts. Deprived of blood | | | | were hopping up in the cylinder with both legs and |
| supply – which carries oxygen – the | | | | not favoring one side when walking. The TGF |
| affected area of the brain starts to die. And the | | | | alpha rats regained 99% of lost movement |
| part of the body controlled by that area of the | | | | compared to the untreated rats, who improved |
| brain won't work right. | | | | by only 30%. |
| That's why you should know the signs of a | | | | Senior co-author of the study, James Fallon said, |
| stroke and act as quickly as possible if you notice | | | | "Now we have evidence there may be therapies |
| them in yourself or someone around you. | | | | that can repair damage to a significant degree |
| Warning Signs of a Stroke | | | | long after the stroke. It's a completely |
| Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the | | | | unexpected and remarkable finding, and it's worth |
| US, yet 40% of people cannot name even one | | | | trying in humans."(4) |
| of the warning signs of a stroke.(1) Just being | | | | Brain Regeneration |
| familiar with stroke symptoms can make a huge | | | | TGF alpha appears to stimulate neuron growth in |
| difference in the outcome. | | | | the brain. It caused stem cells to divide, which |
| A stroke can cause: | | | | then turned into brain cells. The new brain cells |
| - Blurred vision | | | | traveled to the injured part of the brain and |
| - Drooling and trouble speaking | | | | replaced neurons the stroke had destroyed. |
| - Problems with balance and walking | | | | Scientists believe that the new neurons helped |
| - Severe headache different from any previous | | | | restore motor function. |
| headache | | | | Graduate student Darius Gleason, who worked on |
| - Inability to understand simple statements | | | | the study, commented, "It's becoming more and |
| - Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of | | | | more clear that the brain is like any other organ: |
| the body, affecting face, arm or leg(2) | | | | It has a lot of potential to regenerate. We are |
| I can't stress enough how important it is to know | | | | just emulating nature by giving a little nudge to |
| and recognize these stroke symptoms. | | | | what the brain is trying to do itself."(5) |
| Stroke occurs in over 700,000 people per year in | | | | This is very promising news for future stroke |
| the United States – that's one person every | | | | treatments. Stroke is the leading cause of |
| 45 seconds. Over the course of a lifetime, four | | | | disability in the United States so long term |
| out of five families are affected.(3) | | | | methods of dealing with the after-effects will |
| The Future of Stroke Treatments | | | | have a major impact on both the health of |
| New studies have come out of the University of | | | | individuals and their return to productivity and |
| California that may improve and extend the | | | | normal life. |
| scope of current stroke treatments. Presently, | | | | As always, before you make any changes to |
| some treatments are only effective in the first | | | | your diet, exercise or supplement routine, please |
| few hours after a stroke has happened. And no | | | | check with your personal physician. |
| drugs can help after several days. | | | | Sources: |
| But researcher Magda Guerra-Crespo has | | | | 1. Vega J, "Interesting Facts and Statistics About |
| discovered that a small protein called transforming | | | | Stroke," about.com, Nov 2, 2009 |
| growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) can repair | | | | 2. Stroke Overview, 3. Stroke Statistics, |
| damage long after the stroke has occurred. TGF | | | | TheUniversityHospital.com, University Hospital, |
| alpha has been studied in connection with other | | | | New Jersey |
| organs, but never with stroke and the brain – | | | | 4. Fitzenberger J, "New stroke therapy successful |
| until now. | | | | in rats: Protein completely restores motor |
| Studies were conducted on rats, which exhibit | | | | function," University of California – Irvine (2010 |
| stroke damage much like humans do… by losing | | | | Jan 13 |
| limb function on one side of the body. | | | | 5. |
| Healthy rats, when put into a cylinder, will jump up | | | | |