Grant: Operating Grant

Strokes are a leading cause of disability and death. The majority of strokes are caused by a blockage of blood flow through a cerebral artery. Patients who have a major stroke often have had one or more mini-strokes days to weeks prior to the disabling insult. Our knowledge is very limited as to how the mini-stroke affects the health of the brain. It is possible that if there is sufficient time for the brain to heal after the first mini-stroke and prior to the second stroke (recurrent stroke), then brain damage will be less. To study this we have developed a unique model of recurrent stroke in the rat. We currently propose to use our unique rat model to study the recovery of the brain from a mini-stroke and see if magnetic resonance imaging methods can be improved to better detect mildly injured brain. We will also investigate whether the timing between strokes affects brain damage. Then, we will examine whether resveratrol, a beneficial component in red wine, helps the brain heal after a minor stroke. The results of these studies will provide highly original insights into the recovery of the brain from a mini-stroke and its susceptibility to damage should its health status remain compromised. This will improve our ability to manage patients with mini-strokes or recurrent strokes and provide readily translatable treatment options leading to improved outcomes.