A dab of cream can rewire brain circuits fried in a stroke
Surviving a stroke is just the beginning……….
Brain circuits have effectively been fried, by the oxygen shortage precipitated by the block or break in the blood vessel.
Recovery depends on rewiring those circuits.
Rewiring takes time, hours of repetition, as the brain establishes new neuronal pathways, grows familiar with them and finally is able to run them by default.
It takes guts and determination.
Stroke play on the video console is therapy for stroke patients
Video games are not something typically associated with the elderly. The standard picture of a gamer, is a somewhat anti-social teenager who gets his/her kicks by battling mythical monsters, in a dingy room, surrounded by empty fast food boxes.
But a study at St Michael’s Hospital suggests the Wii and Playstation need to be moved into gramps’ room.
The key to overcoming damage following a stroke, is to persuade the nerves that have taken a knock due to oxygen starvation, to re-establish the connections.
Reconnecting is about building confidence and this normally comes with practice. Victim’s of stroke usually receive several sessions of physiotherapy or occupational therapy, which strives to help the brain heal, through building new connections (neuroplasticity).
The cardiovascular power of a pain killer (aspirin) unplugged
It may seem odd, that a drug whose claim to fame is fighting pain, rose to the level of superstar in the world of meds used to combat cardiovascular disease .
To understand what is happening we need to eaves drop on cell conversations.
Cells are continuously chatting to the cells in the neighbourhood via the eicosanoid language.
Listening in on the cell chit chat is quite difficult, because cells whisper to one another so the chemicals only exist for a very brief period of time, at extremely low levels. Scientists are still trying to learn the language, but they have identified a number of these chemicals.
Cheek cells are helping keep blood vessels open
How you respond to any medicine is dependent on your genes. This is why, some people get better when taking a particular medication, while the same medication, can make someone else very ill .
In the last few years, science has made a great deal of progress in figuring out which genes really count, when it comes to drug effects. But, doctors treating patients have not been able to apply this science to their patients on a routine basis.
So prescribing meds often ends up being a trial-an-error process, because having the lab work done, takes too long and genetic tests cost a fortune.
But things are changing…..
Need help to improve you body chemistry so the risk of suffering a stroke is lower ?