Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Mechanism linked to stroke damage identified

Darpan News Desk IANS, 28 Nov, 2014 12:45 PM
  • Mechanism linked to stroke damage identified
Researchers have discovered the mechanism linked to stroke damage and brain function, thus paving the way to develop a new drug target to block brain damage.
 
Strokes happen when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off, but much of the harm to survivors' memory and other cognitive function is often actually caused by "oxidative stress" in the hours and days after the blood supply resumes.
 
The researchers studied the second phase of damage in laboratory mice and found a mechanism in neurons that, if removed, reduced the damage to brain function.
 
"This study has pinpointed a very promising drug target," said study co-author Lin-Hua Jiang from University of Leeds in Britain.
 
The study looked at the damage caused by the excessive production of chemicals called "reactive oxygen species" in brain tissues immediately after blood supply is re-established.
 
In a healthy brain, there are very low levels of reactive oxygen species, but the quantity dramatically increases after a stroke to levels that are harmful to neurons.
 
"We identified an 'ion channel' in the membranes of neurons, called TRPM2, which is switched on in the presence of the reactive oxygen species," Jiang added.
 
"We are now screening a large chemical library to find ways of effectively inhibiting this channel," Jiang said.
 
The study was published in the journal Cell Death and Disease.

MORE Health ARTICLES

Honey Can Destroy Harmful Fungus, Save Lives

Honey Can Destroy Harmful Fungus, Save Lives
Researchers from Britain have identified the effect of honey used since ancient times for the treatment of several diseases, on pathogenic fungi that can cause devastating infections in vulnerable people.

Honey Can Destroy Harmful Fungus, Save Lives

Ebola virus detected in semen three months after symptoms end

Ebola virus detected in semen three months after symptoms end
The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned Friday that the semen of men recovering from Ebola can contain the deadly virus up to three months after the symptoms disappear...

Ebola virus detected in semen three months after symptoms end

Gateway to human memory in brain identified

Gateway to human memory in brain identified
An international team has successfully determined with a level of precision never achieved before the location in the brain where memories are generated....

Gateway to human memory in brain identified

Bitter wild fruits can help treat cancer

Bitter wild fruits can help treat cancer
The compounds that give bitter flavour to wild cucurbits - cucumber, pumpkin, melon, watermelon and squash - have the potential to treat cancer and...

Bitter wild fruits can help treat cancer

Why autistic people see faces differently

Why autistic people see faces differently
People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gain different perceptions from peoples' faces as the way they gather information - not the judgement process itself ...

Why autistic people see faces differently

A breath test could identify onset of diabetes in kids

A breath test could identify onset of diabetes in kids
 A sweet smell on the breath of your kids could have bitter health consequences as researchers have found that it could signal the onset of Type 1 diabetes....

A breath test could identify onset of diabetes in kids

PrevNext