Adjunctive Human Urinary Kallidinogenase Enhances the Cognitive and Hemodynamic Outcomes of Anterior Circulation Stenting.

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion due to anterior circulation stenosis contributes to cognitive decline. This study examined whether preoperative human urinary kallidinogenase (HUK) administration improves outcomes following percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stenting (PTAS). In this prospective non-randomized controlled trial, 128 patients with severe anterior circulation stenosis were included in the HUK and control groups, respectively.

Beclin1-mediated vascular autophagy negatively regulates angiogenesis and secondary neural damage in the thalamus following cerebral cortical infarction.

Focal cerebral infarction induces angiogenesis in the thalamus, which influences cognitive recovery. However, the mechanisms of angiogenesis in the thalamus remain unclear. This study was designed to investigate the potential role of Beclin1-mediated vascular autophagy in angiogenesis occurring in the thalamus after cerebral infarction.

Impaired glymphatic system is associated with secondary neuronal injury in the thalamus following cerebral cortical infarction.

Focal cerebral infarction leads to abnormal amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits, which relates to secondary neuronal injury in the ipsilateral thalamus and hinders post-stroke functional recovery. However, the mechanisms underlying Aβ-pathology in the thalamus remain unclear. This study was designed to investigate the potential associations of glymphatic system with Aβ deposits and delayed neuronal damage of the ipsilateral thalamus secondary to cerebral infarction.

Lower serum uric acid and impairment of right cerebral hemisphere structural brain networks are related to depressive symptoms in cerebral small vessel disease: A cross-sectional study.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) may be associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. Serum uric acid (SUA), an antioxidant, may be involved in the occurrence and development of depressive symptoms, but the mechanism remains unknown. Moreover, the relationship between structural brain networks and SUA has not been explored.

Cerebral asymmetry in adult Macaca fascicularis as revealed by voxel-based MRI and DTI analysis.

Investigating cerebral asymmetries in non-human primates would facilitate to understand the evolutional traits of the human brain specialization related to language and other high-level cognition. However, brain asymmetrical studies of monkeys produced controversial results. Here, we investigated the cerebral asymmetries using a combination of the optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) protocols in monkeys.

Plaque characteristics associated with failure of primary balloon angioplasty for intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis: a retrospective study.

Background: Primary balloon angioplasty (PBA) is an alternative treatment approach for intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS); however, its efficacy may be compromised by arterial dissection or early elastic recoil after balloon dilation. This study aimed to explore the association between plaque characteristics on high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (HR-VWI) and failure of PBA for ICAS.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 113 patients with ICAS who underwent HR-VWI before endovascular treatment.

Certification of stroke centers at primary hospitals and the improvement of thrombolysis n South China during 2020-2022.

Introduction: IVT use declined globally in 2020 due to the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but it increased in South China. This study was conducted to evaluate the association of establishing Stroke Prevention Centers (SPCs) at primary hospitals with IVT increase in South China.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a longitudinal observational study across 336 hospitals in 114 areas in South China during 2020-2022.

Loss of SARM1 ameliorates secondary thalamic neurodegeneration after cerebral infarction.

Ischemic stroke causes secondary neurodegeneration in the thalamus ipsilateral to the infarction site and impedes neurological recovery. Axonal degeneration of thalamocortical fibers and autophagy overactivation are involved in thalamic neurodegeneration after ischemic stroke. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying thalamic neurodegeneration remain unclear.

Efficacy and safety of agomelatine versus SSRIs/SNRIs for post-stroke depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Agomelatine is effective in the treatment of depression, but its effect for post-stroke depression (PSD) remains unclear. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of agomelatine versus SSRIs/SNRIs in treating PSD. We systematically searched Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, WanFang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Cqvip databases for double-blind randomized controlled studies comparing the efficacy and safety of agomelatine versus SSRIs/SNRIs for PSD until December 2022.

Microvascular dysfunction associated with unfavorable venous outflow in acute ischemic stroke patients.

Unfavorable venous outflow (VO) is associated with cerebral edema, which represents microvascular dysfunction. This study estimated the relationship between VO and microvascular function in acute ischemic stroke patients. We retrospectively included 102 MCA/ICA occluded patients with anterior circulation infarction who underwent reperfusion therapy between July 2017 and April 2022.

Remote cortical atrophy and language outcomes after chronic left subcortical stroke with aphasia.

Objective: Subcortical stroke can cause a variety of language deficits. However, the neural mechanisms underlying subcortical aphasia after stroke remain incompletely elucidated. We aimed to determine the effects of distant cortical structures on aphasia outcomes and examine the correlation of cortical thickness measures with connecting tracts integrity after chronic left subcortical stroke.

High on-treatment platelet reactivity is associated with poor outcomes after ischemic stroke: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: High on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) determined by platelet function assays is present in certain patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). However, it is unclear whether HTPR is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship of HTPR with recurrent vascular events in ischemic stroke or TIA.

Silent brain infarction is associated with carotid siphon calcification in ischemic stroke patients.

Background: Silent brain infarction (SBI) had a higher prevalence in ischemic stroke patients than healthy population. Intracranial artery calcification, as the important component of atherosclerosis, is a known risk factor of ischemic stroke. Whether it is also the risk factor of SBI is uncertain.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis in stroke patients.

Background And Purpose: Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is a major cause of stroke in Asian countries. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a hereditary enzyme defect prevalent in Asian countries, has been associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and worse poststroke outcomes. However, the impact of G6PD deficiency on ICAS remains unclear.

Retrospective Comparative Analysis of Clinical and Imaging Features of Craniocervical Artery Dissection: Spontaneous CAD vs. Minor Traumatic CAD.

Background And Objectives: Craniocervical artery dissection (CAD) is the most common cause of ischemic stroke in young adults. The etiologies of CAD can be classified into three types, such as spontaneous (sCAD), minor traumatic (mtCAD), and genetic origin. Recent studies indicated that clinical presentations and imaging features could guide management and inform prognosis.

RTN4/Nogo-A-S1PR2 negatively regulates angiogenesis and secondary neural repair through enhancing vascular autophagy in the thalamus after cerebral cortical infarction.

Cerebral infarction induces angiogenesis in the thalamus and influences functional recovery. The mechanisms underlying angiogenesis remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of RTN4/Nogo-A in mediating macroautophagy/autophagy and angiogenesis in the thalamus following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

Machine Learning for Predicting Motor Improvement After Acute Subcortical Infarction Using Baseline Whole Brain Volumes.

Neuroimaging biomarkers are valuable predictors of motor improvement after stroke, but there is a gap between published evidence and clinical usage. In this work, we aimed to investigate whether machine learning techniques, when applied to a combination of baseline whole brain volumes and clinical data, can accurately predict individual motor outcome after stroke. Upper extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessments (FMA-UE) were conducted 1 week and 12 weeks, and structural MRI was performed 1 week, after onset in 56 patients with subcortical infarction.

Population-Average Brain Templates and Application to Automated Voxel-Wise Analysis Pipelines for Cynomolgus Macaque.

The growing number of neuroimaging studies of cynomolgus macaques require extending existing templates to facilitate species-specific application of voxel-wise neuroimaging methodologies. This study aimed to create population-averaged structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) templates for the cynomolgus macaques and apply the templates in fully automated voxel-wise analyses. We presented the development of symmetric and asymmetric MRI and DTI templates from a sample of 63 young male cynomolgus monkeys with the use of optimized template creation approaches.

Longitudinal changes in the inferior cerebellar peduncle and lower limb motor recovery following subcortical infarction.

Background: The cerebellum receives afferent signals from spinocerebellar pathways regulating lower limb movements. However, the longitudinal changes in the spinocerebellar pathway in the early stage of unilateral supratentorial stroke and their potential clinical significance have received little attention.

Methods: Diffusion tensor imaging and Fugl-Meyer assessment of lower limb were performed 1, 4, and 12 weeks after onset in 33 patients with acute subcortical infarction involving the supratentorial areas, and in 33 healthy subjects.

Association between aspirin-induced hemoglobin decline and outcome after acute ischemic stroke in G6PD-deficient patients.

Aims: The risk of hemoglobin decline induced by low-dose aspirin in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency remains unknown, and its influence on stroke outcome remains to be investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of G6PD deficiency on hemoglobin level during aspirin treatment and its association with outcome after acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: In total, 279 patients (40 G6PD-deficient and 239 G6PD-normal) with acute ischemic stroke treated with aspirin 100 mg/day from a cohort study were examined.

Is Cerebral Amyloid-β Deposition Related to Post-stroke Cognitive Impairment?

Approximately two-thirds of ischemic stroke patients suffer from different levels of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), but the underlying mechanisms of PSCI remain unclear. Cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, has been discovered in the brains of stroke patients in some autopsy studies. However, less is known about the role of Aβ pathology in the development of PSCI.

Predisposing factors and radiological features in patients with internal carotid artery dissection or vertebral artery dissection.

Background: Cervicocerebral artery dissection is an important cause of ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged individuals. However, very few studies have compared the differential features between internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) and vertebral artery dissection (VAD), including both cervical and intracranial artery dissections. We conducted a study to investigate the predisposing factors and radiological features in patients with ICAD or VAD.

Safety and efficacy of low-dose aspirin in ischemic stroke patients with different G6PD conditions.

Background And Purpose: Aspirin is the first recommended antiplatelet agent to prevention secondary stroke, but its safety and efficacy in stroke patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency remain unclear. We sought to evaluate its safety and efficacy in ischemic stroke patients with and without glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

Methods: Patients with ischemic stroke receiving aspirin (100 mg/day) for three months were recruited for a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.