When someone suffers from a stroke, hypoxia can cause major issues, thanks to a lack of oxygen within the brain. In the past, scientists have been unsure of why the brain is so much more sensitive to a lack of oxygen than other organs. Now, thanks to the strong research of professionals in the field, we are a bit closer to understanding just why the brain is so sensitive.
The brain has a specific mechanism that makes it more vulnerable to a lack of oxygen than other organs do. In other organs, the mechanism exists, but it protects them. In the brain, it actually is more harmful. When the brain faces oxygen deprivation, an enzyme called NOX4 is released by several organs. This enzyme breaks down cells within the brain-blood barrier and causes neuron destruction. As you might have guessed, this can cause widespread damage within the brain, and this might be responsible for much of the impact that a stroke has on someone. Physical and mental disability is common after a stroke, and damage to brain cells is the culprit. When the NOX4 enzyme is blocked from being released, neuron damage is minimized.
Doctors are still a long way from implementing this protective strategy for stroke victims, but the discovery, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is a big step forward. The article was published recently, and represents research conducted out of the Maastricht University Medical Center, and the cooperation of several other organizations. Hopefully, this will spark much more research and bring doctors a bit closer to helping those who have a stroke make a full recovery in the future. For those of us who have a loved one who has had a stroke and is at risk of another, this could be a big event.
Strokes can cause severe disability, and research is bringing us closer to understanding why.
The hope is that this advance in knowledge will help those that suffer from a stroke have a better chance of a full recovery. Today, if someone suffers a stroke, there’s a chance that they will not ever have a full recovery. Some people do, but many do not, and this means that there will be an increased need for help just getting through the day. In many cases, senior care to some degree is needed. Now, this is something that needs to be addressed on a case by case basis, but if you have a loved one that’s in need of care because of a stroke (or any other reason), then making a smart choice is important. Not all care is the same, and everyone has different needs.
Be sure to speak with a professional if you have questions about the right care for a loved one. If you’re interested, we can schedule a free consultation for you and your family to go over what your needs are, and whether or not we can be of help. The right senior care is important, and we hope to be that choice for your family. Give us a call today if we can answer any questions for you or get you pointed in the right direction.
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