A drug already used to reduce long-term cognitive impairment after a stroke was found to be even more effective when applied directly to the gut, according to a new study.
- After a stroke, the structures of the intestine are usually damaged.
- Researchers tested a drug already used after a stroke to repair the brain on the intestine.
- Result: inflammation and cognitive disorders were much reduced when this drug was administered directly to the intestine, than when it only targeted the brain.
They say that it is our second brain and this reputation is not about to change! According to a new study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunitya medication already used to reduce long-term cognitive impairment after a stroke would be even more effective when applied directly to the intestine!
IGF-1 more effective on the intestine
After a stroke, the structures of the intestine are usually damaged. This event, which is characterized as the sudden loss of a brain function, therefore does not only impact the latter.
This is why scientists wanted to test IGF-1 in the intestine. This is a medicine usually used after a stroke to repair the brain. Result: inflammation and cognitive impairment were much reduced when IGF-1 was administered directly to the intestine.
“Directly repairing the brain will not be enough, explains Dr. Farida Sohrabji, one of the researchers, in a press release. Stroke is a leading cause of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. (…) There are long-term consequences that affect the quality of life of the patient as well as the caregivers”.
Stem cell transplants to repair the intestine after a stroke
At the same time, researchers have also worked on the use of stem cell transplants to quickly repair the intestine after a stroke. Normally, the intestine produces them on its own to repair itself. But after a stroke, this function is impaired.
Results: These stem cells can be transplanted from a healthy donor to a recipient with a damaged intestine, and this can speed healing. “Thanks to (this treatment), the amount of dead tissue in the brain after a stroke was reduced and cognitive function was preserved”, assures Dr Farida Sohrabji.
Ultimately, these discoveries could allow the development of new treatments for patients who have suffered a stroke. In France, every year, there are more than 140,000 new cases of stroke, or one every four minutes, according to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm).
