The brain tries to repair damage after a stroke by utilizing its own repair cells, which function like skilled craftsmen. However, their efforts are often obstructed by inflammation, according to new research from the University of Southern Denmark and the University.
A new study conducted by researchers from the Department of Molecular Medicine at SDU highlights one of the most severe consequences of stroke: damage to the brain’s “cables”—the nerve fibers—which results in permanent impairments. Based on unique tissue samples from Denmark’s Brain Bank at SDU, the study could pave the way for new treatments to help the brain repair itself.
The brain tries to repair damage
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is blocked, resulting in brain damage. After the injury, the brain attempts to repair the damaged nerve fibers by restoring their insulating layer, known as myelin. Unfortunately, this repair process is often only partially successful, leaving many patients with lasting impairments to their physical and mental functions.
According to Professor Kate Lykke Lambertsen, one of the study’s lead authors, the brain has the resources to repair itself: “We need to find ways to help the cells complete their work, even under difficult conditions.”
The researchers have thus focused on how inflammatory conditions hinder the rebuilding. The study has identified a particular type of cell in the brain that plays a key role in this process. These cells work to rebuild myelin, but inflammatory conditions often block their efforts.
How researchers used the brain collection
“Using the brain collection, we can precisely map which areas of the brain are most active in the repair process,” explains Professor Kate Lykke Lambertsen.
This mapping has enabled researchers to analyze tissue samples from Denmark’s Brain Bank and gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that control the brain’s ability to heal itself.
Through advanced staining techniques, known as immunohistochemistry, the researchers have been able to detect specific cells that play a central role in the reconstruction of myelin in the damaged areas of the brain.
The samples were analyzed to distinguish between different areas of the brain, including the infarct core (the most damaged area), the peri-infarct area (surrounding tissue where rebuilding is active), and tissue that appears unaffected.
The analysis provided insight into where repair cells accumulate and how their activity varies depending on gender and time since the stroke.
Women and men react differently
An interesting discovery in the study is that women’s and men’s brains react differently to injuries.
“The differences underscore the importance of future treatments being more targeted and taking into account the patient’s gender and individual needs,” says Kate Lykke Lambertsen.
In women, it seems that inflammatory conditions can prevent cells from repairing damage, while men have a slightly better ability to initiate the repair process. This difference may explain why women often experience greater difficulties after a stroke.
The brain collection at SDU is key to progress
The researchers behind the study emphasize that the discoveries could not have been made without the Danish Brain Bank at SDU. The collection consists of tissue samples from humans, used to understand brain diseases at a detailed level.
With access to this resource, researchers can investigate the mechanisms behind diseases like stroke and develop new treatment strategies.
Facts
What is myelin? Myelin is an insulating layer around the nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord that ensures fast and efficient signal transmission between nerve cells.
What is the brain collection? The brain collection, called Denmark’s Brain Bank, contains more than 10,000 human brains and tissue samples from human brains, used for research into neurological diseases like stroke, dementia, and sclerosis.
What is Immunohistochemistry? A technique where antibodies are used to stain and identify specific cells or proteins in tissue. It helps researchers study cell functions and locations in the body.
Reference: “Characterisation of GPR17-expressing oligodendrocyte precursors in human ischaemic lesions and correlation with reactive glial responses” by Stefano Raffaele, Bettina Hjelm Clausen, Francesca Carolina Mannella, Martin Wirenfeldt, Davide Marangon, Sarah Boe Tidgen, Silvia Corradini, Kirsten Madsen, Davide Lecca, Maria Pia Abbracchio, Kate Lykke Lambertsen and Marta Fumagalli, 20 December 2024, The Journal of Pathology.
DOI: 10.1002/path.6381
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22 Comments
Soon AI will be able to map everything in the brain and even slow down aging of the body as well as even reviving a braindead person. (again only for the rich)
It soon won’t be for the rich only but for the smart guys. There’s no end to what science will throw at us and we’ll all be empowered by our phones to benefit from it all.
How can rebuilding even happen when there is no blood supply to the damaged areas? I’d like to see the occlusion of the middle cerebral artery occlusion by plaque (“infarct”) that broke off another part of the circulatory system. Blood lost is brain lost.
As a speech-language pathologist, my experience was that women actually DO recover better than men. They tend to take more risks when trying to make an utterance, and also have their strokes later in life. Men get more frustrated; women work harder. When training at the VA, most of my stroke patients were male vets who infarcted in their 50s. After I left the VA, I saw a lot of female patients. It was rare to see a woman with onset prior to age 65.
You are dead on with this truth…. Only for the rich!!! How inhumane this fact is because the sad part is the middle class and even the lower class are those who have worked much harder usually, are those that are much more humble and compassionate, and it’s those that make the world a better place to live in terms of “loving your neighbor” simply said extending a helping hand and being friendly towards others, people serving rather than self serving…. It’s all of us that will never even be considered for this kind of breakthrough!!! Our status in society doesn’t hold a large enough dollar sign!!! But another much more important truth is, we may not live longer here and we may not be worthy of life extending treatments…. But those that are pure in heart, humble, give to others, those who seek no return for the good they do and those who love Jesus and accept Him as their Savior… We are guaranteed Eternal Life with no suffering where we will all experience joy not just happiness and where love true love exists!! I will choose to remain the less fortunate here because I know where I am headed from here!!! It’s a blessing to be a servant in this world!!! God’s promises will never fail us!!!!
That brain didnt repair itself . That brain is dead.
Left-over prop from a zombie movie. Or pickled cauliflower, I can’t tell….
I need to know immediately how to “help” the brain to repair itself after the stroke. Can anyone please help point to the direction where I can obtain the information?
Reduce inflammation, see a naturopath, show them this study. First thing that comes to mind is Omegagenics or Vascepa fish oil.
Sun light plus cholesterol make myelin
Coffee berry skins have a substance that helps grow new neurons
Lions Mane mushrooms are good for Brain
Omega 3 fatty acids
my mother had a stroke and I knew it half the blood to her brain if I do our past so in my purse, I gave her 20,000 global units of high and pepper just a pinch on her tongue and have to keep the paperwork going so now every day we do that And she’s OK because her blood was not obstructed
Sorry, there’s many misspelled words on my blog, but I use Cayenne pepper to help her anyway I was babysitting my grandson
This Affirmation is for healing from stroke: Life is changing and I adapt quickly to the new. I accept life – past, present and future.
A whole plant non processed foods nutrition will PREVENT strokes.
After suffering a stroke if you can get to the hospital within the first 6 hours of having the stroke, and can convince the doctors, usually with a second person who can corroborate it is within the first 6 hours, they can five you a drug that can break up a clot restoring blood to the affected area of the brain. They won’t do it if you don’t convince them cause the drug could do further damage if it’s later than 6 hours.
These so-called “neuroscientists “ are totally ignoring PERISPINAL ETANERCEPT INJECTIONS- the REAL CURE FOR POST CVA/Stroke symptoms. This was discovered by Dr. Edward Tobinick MD, an Internal Medicine Physician Medicine Physician. Look it up… google… YouTube and be amazed at the thousands cured and reversed of CVA.
But his patients have to fit a profile that would prove his method successful therefore eliminating a population of stroke patients with more severe symptoms post stroke conditions.
Speaking as a stroke survivor, I was told it was a miracle but my brain healed on its own.
I’m here to tell you it can happen.
I read they are experimenting with Frequencies and are having some success with it.
How does etanercept help stroke patients?
Several studies have shown statistically significant evidence that etanercept, a TNF alpha inhibitor, can reduce symptoms present in post-stroke syndrome by targeting the excess TNF alpha produced in the CSF [33,41,42]. Studies have shown that etanercept improves outcomes of post-stroke pain [41,42].Mar 15, 2023.
How does etanercept help stroke patients?
Several studies have shown statistically significant evidence that etanercept, a TNF alpha inhibitor, can reduce symptoms present in post-stroke syndrome by targeting the excess TNF alpha produced in the CSF [33,41,42]. Studies have shown that etanercept improves outcomes of post-stroke pain [41,42].Mar 15, 2023.
It’s counterintuitive to imagine that a stable suppression of the inflammation would simply facilitate and secure a significant recovery after stroke. Immune cells migrate toward the damaged and dead neurons in stroke and other forms of brain injury largely for defence purposes to reduce an extensive injury, and in part presumably to clean up necrotic tissue and cellular debris. Relevant empirical studies in support of these hypotheses have previously been demonstrated, although strong clinical data for stroke is lacking.
thank you