Grant: CIHR-ICRH Travel Awards - ICRH / Vascular pool

Stroke is the leading cause of functional impairment in Canada. The two main types of stroke are hemorrhagic and ischemic, which are caused by bleeding and interruption of blood flow respectively. Hemorrhagic stroke is precipitated by a weakened blood vessel that ruptures or leaks into surrounding tissues. The chances of disability and death are high - further, this risk disproportionately affects Indigenous populations. The exact changes that occur in the blood vessels during hemorrhagic stroke are still largely unknown. My research investigates the changes that occur in brain blood vessels as part of hemorrhagic stroke. A special stroke-prone strain of rat with high blood pressure is used to reflect humans at risk of hemorrhagic stroke. The aim of the study is to quantify blood vessel parameters, such as volume and connectivity, throughout the brain before and after stroke. This is done through use of surgical operation to inject contrast agents (dyes that allow better visualization) and micro-CT imaging. When paired with the contrast agents, this imaging method allows us to see even the smallest vessels. Unfortunately, there is no medicine to treat outcomes for hemorrhagic stroke patients, except for surgical intervention because we still don't fully understand how to fix the vessels that rupture and heal the surrounding tissue. Therefore, foundational studies to define the cerebrovascular changes associated with hemorrhagic stroke are still needed.