Reducing
brain swelling key to reducing stroke fatalities
A research team at the University of
Adelaide, Australia has found a way to reduce brain swelling, the
most common cause of death after stroke.
Studies by doctoral student Renée
Turner in the Discipline of Pathology at the University of Adelaide
have shown that swelling in the brain seems to mimic a similar
process in the skin, and may well be amenable to treatment with
drugs, although these are yet to be developed.
“This potentially provides
the first new clinical pathway to reducing brain swelling in
50 years,” Ms Turner says. “It should improve the chances of
survival after a stroke and reduce the risk of long-term
disabilities.”
About 48,000 episodes of
stroke occur in Australia each year, one every 11 minutes.
Brain swelling or oedema is a
common complication of stroke. It occurs when water accumulates in
the brain, causing compression and eventually death of brain tissue.
The mechanism in the brain is unclear. But in the skin, a similar
process known as neurogenic inflammation is triggered by nerve
cells. This results in increased leakiness of blood vessels and
water accumulation in the skin tissue.
A compound known as substance P
has been shown to contribute to this swelling in the skin, Ms Turner
says. Blocking substance P reduces skin tissue oedema.
“Until recently, neurogenic
inflammation was not known to occur in the brain following injury.
Our laboratory has now shown that substance P is released during
stroke. And blocking substance P receptors following stroke
subsequently reduces brain swelling and improves outcome and
survival in rats.”
Renée Turner is one of 16 young
scientists presenting their research to the public for the first
time thanks to Fresh Science, a national program sponsored by the
Federal and Victorian Governments, Australia. One of the Fresh
Scientists will win a trip to the UK courtesy of British Council
Australia to present their work to the Royal Institution.