After a stroke, there is often an accumulation of fluid in the brain (cerebral edema) that can cause life-threatening brain swelling. Researchers at the University of Würzburg have now found a possible new therapeutic approach to treat these fluid collections effectively.

Normally, cerebral edema, which are formed as a brain tumor or multiple sclerosis-thrust, successfully treated with so-called glucocorticoids (eg cortisone). In stroke, the same drugs prove ineffective or even harmful. Carola Förster and team have now been able to elucidate the cause of the difference in effectiveness.

The oxygen deprivation that occurs during a stroke, leads to the lymph vessels in the brain (brain endothelial cells) to change. It builds a certain protein complex (proteasome) the glucocorticoid receptors, which mediate the effects of glucocorticoid drugs, over-heavily. The cells lose the ability to respond to the therapy. Early blockade of the proteasome could therefore restore the susceptibility of the endothelial cells of glucocorticoid. Even then in stroke treatment with cortisone and other steroids would be possible again.

Initial tests on mice ran promising results so far. The experiments could provide the basis for this to brain swelling in stroke patients treated in the future to do better. Until a drug for people in the market, according to estimates by Carola Förster, however, took another ten years.

A stroke is usually caused by a sudden disturbance of blood supply in the brain. The nerve cells are thus deprived of oxygen and nutrients – they die. Currently, stroke is the second leading cause of death in Germany.

On the basis of a small genetic difference, doctors can apparently predict the extent of disability after a stroke. The report Spanish researchers at the University of Salamanca. The results are published in the online edition of the journal “Journal of Experimental Medicine”.

As a result of a stroke brain cells die, from the so-called neurons. The TP53 gene that controls cell death occurs in the human body is in a R-and P-variant. The difference: the R-variant triggers the cell death more effectively than the P-variant. The researchers studied two groups of stroke patients. Those who had only the R-variant of the cell death gene, suffered a few months after the stroke than subjects with major complaints of the P-variant group. Further investigations showed, isolated brain cells, in which the R-variant active, more susceptible to cell death through lack of oxygen.

The scientists now want to Angeles Almeida clarify whether it is possible using the TP53 variants also draw conclusions on the prognosis of other neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.

A stroke occurs when blood flow is disturbed in the brain. This can lead to speech, movement and visual disturbances. Because every brain reacts differently to a stroke, it is now difficult to estimate the long-term consequences.