Stroke Strokes are often fatal because of brain damage suffered in the process – 67,000 deaths* in Britain can be attributed to strokes.
People most at risk of stroke are those with high blood pressure, heart disease, smokers, and those with diabetes. It can, however, affect anyone of any age – it can even occur in an embryo before birth. So to minimise the potential damage caused by a stroke, scientists have been trying to find ways to prevent brain damage.
The scientists at Louisiana State University may have found a way. The research team there discovered that a specific neurotransmitter, which is responsible for regulating the quantity of calcium that enters the brain’s nerve cells, fails to function properly when a person suffers with a stroke. As a result, calcium floods the brain.
The researchers theorise that it is this process that kills the nerve cells, causing brain damage. Working to find a way to prevent this from occurring, they have pinpointed an enzyme that may block the process, thereby protecting the brain.
*Figure from The Stroke Association (www.stroke.org.uk)