Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have shown that persistent obesity decreases neurological recovery after stroke in the mouse. The findings could facilitate the development of new stroke rehabilitative strategies for obese and diabetic patients.

Diabetes increases stroke risk and impairs neurological recovery after stroke. Since 2009, the NeuroCardioMetabol Group at the Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, has focused their studies on this topic at the interface between diabetes and neuroscience.

In the current study published in Clinical Science, Dr. Hiranya Pintana and coauthors have been able to show that 12 months of a diet enriched in fat, and inducing obesity decreases neurological recovery after stroke in association with decreased neurogenesis and impairment of a specific sub-population of brain cells, ie, interneurons. The findings shed light on the potential mechanisms behind impaired stroke recovery in diabetes/obesity and could facilitate the development of new stroke rehabilitative strategies for obese/diabetic patients.

The work was conceived and directed by Dr. Vladimer Darsalia and associate professor Cesare Patrone.

Funders of the study were the Swedish Research Council, STROKE Riksförbundet, O. E. och Edla Johanssons Stiftelse, the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes, the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, Svensk Förening för Diabetologi, Konung Gustaf V:s och Drottning Victorias Frimurarestiftelse, Karolinska Institutet (Foundation for Geriatric Diseases and KI Stiftelser och Fonder), Stohnes Stiftelse, Gamla Tjänarinnor Stiftelse, and ALF.