Targeted Interference in the Complement System Improves Recovery from Stroke

The complement system is a part of the innate immune system, and aids in the coordination of the immune response. It promotes inflammation, and in certain circumstances, such as the loss of blood supply to tissue, known as ischemia, it is actively harmful. Following a stroke, the complement system encourages the immune system to attack and destroy neurons and neural connections in the ischemic area, treating them as though they are dead or debris. A sizable fraction of those brain cells could in principle be salvaged if the blood supply is restored quickly enough, but the complement system actively sabotages this goal. Thus, researchers here propose a targeted interference in the complement system that could aid in limiting the functional damage of a stroke. Reperfusion therapy, the gold standard for stroke treatment, helps restore blood flow after a stroke caused by a clot, preventing loss of brain tissue. However, only about 10% of stroke patients qualify, in part because of reperfusion therapy's narrow treatment window. New research suggests that this therapy could be both safer and more effective for both motor and cognitive recovery if administered with a specialized compound that blocks the immune response. Reducing the immune response in the brain could be a strategy for improving cognitive recovery. It could also extend the treatment window for therapy, allowing stroke specialists to help many more stroke patients. "With reperfusion therapy, we're res...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs