Stroke is one of the leading causes of death around the world, second only to heart disease. A team of researchers in Japan has made a breakthrough that could help protect the brain after a stroke.
Led by Associate Professor Hidemitsu Nakajima from Osaka Metropolitan University, the group developed a new drug that prevents brain cell death.
The drug, called GAI-17, works by blocking a protein known as GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase). Although GAPDH is usually involved in normal cell functions, it can also play a harmful role in brain and nervous system diseases when it forms clumps, or aggregates. These harmful aggregates are linked to brain cell death.
In tests using mice with stroke-like conditions, the researchers found that mice treated with GAI-17 had much less brain damage and paralysis than mice that did not receive the drug. Even more promising, the drug was effective when given up to six hours after the stroke had occurred.
Importantly, the drug did not cause any serious side effects, such as problems with the heart or blood vessels in the brain. This makes it a promising option for treating stroke and possibly other serious brain conditions.
Professor Nakajima said the team hopes the drug could one day treat other difficult brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. The team plans to test GAI-17 in models of other diseases and continue working to bring it closer to use in humans.
The results of this study were published in the journal iScience and mark an important step toward developing a treatment that could protect brain function and support healthier aging.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about how to eat to prevent stroke, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
The study is published in iScience.
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