Monday, June 23, 2025

Brain fluid physiology in ischaemic stroke; more than just oedema

 Your competent? doctor has been working on solving this problem for a lot of years, right? Oh no, your doctors have done nothing and haven't initiated research to solve the problem! And your incompetent? board of directors hasn't fired them? 

In my opinion competence is immediately installing protocols upon published research. Does your incompetent? doctor think that is too high a bar? FIRE THEM! And if your doctor is still there after doing nothing your board of directors is completely incompetent!

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  • Brain fluid physiology in ischaemic stroke; more than just oedema


    Published: Volume 22, article number 60, (Cite this article
    You have full access to thisopen accessarticleFluids and Barriers of the CNSAims and scopeSubmit manuscript

    Background

    Cerebrospinal fluid and interstitial fluid dynamics are critical for maintaining homeostasis in the central nervous system. These fluids facilitate waste clearance, micronutrient distribution, and provide a tightly regulated ionic environment. Ischaemic stroke, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, disrupts this delicate system, compounding the physiological challenges posed by the condition. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the importance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) movement and exchange, the role of this system in stroke pathophysiology remains underexplored.

    Main body

    Emerging evidence indicates that ischaemic stroke acutely alters CSF and ISF movement and exchange, with effects observed at both local and brain-wide levels. In the hyper-acute phase, there is an influx of CSF into perivascular spaces, potentially contributing to early cell swelling. Over time, impaired clearance mechanisms exacerbate ionic and vasogenic oedema, elevating intracranial pressure and further compromising perfusion in the ischaemic penumbra. Mechanistic studies suggest that disruptions in arterial pulsatility, extracellular space microstructure, and aquaporin 4 localisation may underlie these changes. Experimental models have revealed decreased CSF and ISF exchange, movement and outflow in the hours to days following stroke, with implications for waste clearance and secondary injury processes. The interplay between these dynamics and cortical spreading depolarisations, stroke severity, and cerebrovascular physiology adds complexity to understanding the condition’s progression.

    Conclusion

    The disruption of CSF and ISF movement and exchange may represent a significant, yet underappreciated contributor to post-stroke pathology. Addressing these alterations could offer novel therapeutic avenues to mitigate secondary damage, improve central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis, and enhance recovery outcomes. Future research must focus on elucidating the precise mechanisms of CSF and ISF movement and exchange disturbance and exploring targeted interventions to restore normal fluid dynamics in the CNS post-stroke.

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