Scientists Try Something New
Have you ever had a stuffy nose and used nose drops to clear it? Imagine using nose drops to help your body heal from a stroke!
That’s exactly what a group of scientists from different parts of the world have been testing.
Their research, which is very successful so far, is being led by the University of Gothenburg and the results are published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
The Experiments
The scientists from the Universities of Gothenburg, Cologne, and the Czech Academy of Sciences carried out tests on mice.
They gave the mice a molecule, known as complement peptide C3a, through nasal drops.
They observed that after a stroke, the mice that got these special nose drops were able to move faster and better than the mice that received normal nose drops.
This research builds on a previous study and the fact that it has been tested in different locations and shown the same results makes it very reliable.
Marcela Pekna, a professor at the University of Gothenburg who led the study, thinks this is pretty awesome.
What Makes This Treatment Special?
The really cool thing about this treatment is that it works even if it’s not given right away. Usually, in stroke cases, doctors have to work super-fast to help the patient.
This is because they either have to dissolve a blood clot that’s causing the stroke or take it out physically.
With these nose drops, it doesn’t matter if a patient reaches the hospital late, or can’t get the normal treatments for some reason.
The nose drops could even help people who still have problems after the clot has been dealt with.
How Do These Nose Drops Work?
These aren’t just any nose drops. They contain the C3a peptide molecule. The scientists did some more tests and found that this molecule helps to form new connections among nerve cells in the brain.
It does this by affecting the function of astrocytes, special cells that control many of the brain’s functions. The molecule tells these astrocytes what signals to send to the nerve cells.
Strokes and What They Do
Strokes can cause long-term problems, like making it hard for people to talk or move around.
The researchers point out that dealing with a stroke isn’t just about acting fast at the beginning. There’s a lot of room for improvement even later on.
The Future of the C3a Peptide Treatment
These nose drops could be given at home by family members or even the patients themselves. But, timing is very important.
If given too early, the C3a peptide could cause inflammation in the brain. However, the good news is that the positive effects of the treatment continue long after it’s stopped.
The researchers are excited about their findings and hope to develop this treatment so it can be used in hospitals.
But they need help from the pharmaceutical industry to carry out more tests and get it ready for use. It’s early days yet, but this research shows promise for a new, effective way to help stroke victims recover.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about a breakfast linked to better blood vessel health, and olive oil could help lower risks of heart disease and stroke.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
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