Strokes are classified as a group of brain disorders involving a loss of functions (neurologic deficits) that occur when the blood supply to any part of the brain is interrupted. Even a brief interruption to the circulation can cause decreases in brain function. The specific neurologic deficits may vary depending on the location, extent of the damage, and cause of the disorder. A stroke affects about 4 out of 1,000 people.
Scientists discover genetic variant tied to increased stroke risk – First study to identify common variant influencing susceptibility in US. – Scientists have identified a previously unknown connection between two genetic variants and an increased risk of stroke, providing strong evidence for the existence of specific genes that help explain the genetic component of stroke.
This research is another step towards using stem cell therapy in treating and reversing the brain damage caused by stroke. – Effective stem cell treatment for strokes has taken a significant step forward today as scientists reveal how they have replaced stroke-damaged brain tissue in rats.
Combined effect of health behaviors and risk of first ever stroke in 20,040 men and women over 11 years’ follow-up in Norfolk cohort of European Prospective Investigation of Cancer. – People who lead unhealthy lifestyles are more than twice as likely to suffer a stroke than those who eat and drink sensibly, don’t smoke, and take regular exercise, finds a study published on bmj.com today.
Study shows transcranial doppler ultrasound and clot busting drug tissue plasminogen activator tPA effective for stroke. – An experimental therapy using tiny bubbles activated by transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound combined with the clot busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is more effective than tPA alone in treating patients suffering from ischemic stroke, according to new research presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference in San Diego.
National stroke awareness campaign launched in UK. Think ‘FAST’ to identify signs of stroke. – Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK. Each year, 150,000 people have a stroke and of those, 67,000 people die. Stroke can happen to anyone, young or old, at any time. In fact, 25 per cent of people who have a stroke are under retirement age.
The researchers found that the cumulative incidence of ischemic stroke increased with increasing levels of nonfasting triglycerides. – Elevated nonfasting triglyceride levels, previously associated with an increased risk for heart attack, also appear to be associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke.
All drugs used to treat psychosis are linked to an increased risk of stroke, and dementia sufferers are at double the risk, according to a study published on bmj.com. – All antipsychotics are associated with an increased risk of stroke, and the risk might be higher in patients receiving atypical antipsychotics than those receiving typical antipsychotics.
Psychological distress, but not depression, may increase the risk of stroke. Previous studies have shown that stroke often leads to depression, but the evidence was mixed as to whether depression could lead to stroke. – Psychological distress, but not depression, may increase the risk of stroke, according to a study published in the March_4, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous studies have shown that stroke often leads to depression, but the evidence was mixed as to whether depression could lead to stroke.
Results of promising Australian research into clot busting treatments for stroke is announced by researchers at an international stroke conference in the United States. – The study, co-ordinated by the Royal Melbourne Hospital and conducted by the Australasian Stroke Trialists Network including the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) Stroke Research Group demonstrates that clot busting (thrombolysis) treatment can be effective when administered up to six hours after a stroke.
Older people who have significant trouble staying awake during the day have more than four times the normal risk of having a stroke, US researchers said. – Regular daytime dozing forewarns of a significantly increased risk of stroke in older Americans, researchers reported at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2008.
Listening to music in the early stages after a stroke can improve patients’ recovery, according to new research published online in the medical journal Brain – Researchers from Finland found that if stroke patients listened to music for a couple of hours a day, their verbal memory and focused attention recovered better and they had a more positive mood than patients who did not listen to anything or who listened to audio books.
Human embryonic stem cell-based therapies have the potential to help treat stroke disease. – Neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells helped repair stroke-related damage in the brains of rats and led to improvements in their physical abilities, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
