Discover how a natural fatty acid offers new hope in protecting the brain’s delicate blood vessels against the double threat of stroke and high blood sugar.
– by James
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Natural Fatty Acid Guards against Brain Endothelial Cell Death and Microvascular Pathology following Ischemic Insult in the Presence of Acute Hyperglycemia.
Shaheryar et al., Biomedicines 2023
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123342
Key Findings:
The research highlights the protective effects of lauric acid (LA) against the exacerbation of ischemic stroke due to acute hyperglycemia. LA was found to:
- Reduce the volume of damaged brain tissue (infarct volume).
- Decrease brain swelling (edema).
- Lower endothelial cell death.
- Increase the diameter of blood vessels.
- Enhance vascular angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels).
- Improve the integrity of tight junctions, which are crucial for the blood-brain barrier.
Importance:
This study is significant as it suggests that natural saturated fatty acids like LA can mitigate the negative effects of high blood sugar on the brain’s microvasculature during a stroke. This could lead to new therapeutic strategies for stroke patients, especially those with acute hyperglycemia, which is common even in non-diabetics during such events.
Contribution to Literature:
The findings contribute to the understanding of how acute hyperglycemia worsens ischemic stroke outcomes and offer a potential neuroprotective treatment option. The study provides evidence that LA can preserve the structural and functional integrity of the brain’s microvascular system under oxidative stress conditions induced by high glucose levels.