Chronic
use of prescription opioids can exacerbate risk and severity of
ischemic stroke. Annually, 6 million people die from stroke worldwide
and there are no neuroprotective or neurorestorative agents to improve
stroke outcomes and promote recovery. Prescribed opioids such as
morphine have been shown to alter tight junction protein expression,
resulting in the disruption of the blood brain barrier (BBB), ultimately
leading to stroke pathogenesis. Consequently, protection of the of BBB
has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke. This
perspective addresses the deficiency in stroke pharmacological options
and examines a novel application and repurposing of FDA-approved opioid
antagonists as a prospective neuroprotective therapeutic strategy to
minimize BBB damage, reduce stroke severity, and promote neural
recovery. Future directions discuss potential drug design and delivery
methods to enhance these novel therapeutic targets.
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