 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Brain swelling 'could be reduced' in stroke victims22 August 2006 Patients' chances of survival after experiencing a stroke could soon be increased say scientists who claim to have found a way to reduce swelling in the brain. Oedema, or swelling, of the brain is the most common cause of death in patients who suffer a stroke. It occurs when water accumulates in the brain, causing it to compress against the skull and severely damage brain tissue. However, doctors at the University of Adelaide have shown that the swelling in the brain is very similar to a process in the skin and may be treatable using the same methods. Doctoral student Renee Turner said: "This potentially provides the first new clinical pathway to reducing brain swelling in 50 years. "It should improve the chances of survival after a stroke and reduce the risk of long-term disabilities." In the skin, a compound known as substance P has been shown to contribute to swelling; blocking this leads to a reduction in skin tissue oedema, say the doctors. Blocking the same compound in the brain could have similar effects, they claim. Although the treatment is yet to be developed, the discovery could lead to important developments in the treatment of stroke victims, they add. More information
|
|
|
|
|
||||
 |
 |
|||||
| ||||||
 |
|
|
 |
|
|