After a stroke (or traumatic injury) the brain has enough plasticity to re-wire itself…up to a point. This is called “plasticity.” Unfortunately, after a short time an immune gene codes for a receptor called CCR5 that suppresses plasticity.
By an incredible coincidence, a little-known H.I.V. treatment that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007 turns out to block CCR5.
This drug is now in a study. If it works the entire approach to recovery from stroke will change. How cool is that?
However, it’s an old drug so I don’t know if any of the Big Pharma companies would sponsor a clinical trial to get FDA approval. It’s not an ideal drug so they might tweak it chemically, patent the tweaked drug and then trial it.
Nice find, Wendy, but for me, bittersweet. A dear family friend in her early 80s has been left without speech, using a walker for short distances because of a stroke last year. Sadly, the safe version of this drug might be a few years off. I doubt there is that time; her health is frail for other complex reasons. This is a very sad time of life for my parents’ generation of dear family friends.
A while back I stumbled across an article on the increasing use/study of whole classes of drugs that, when used illicitly, are known to rewire the brain. But are useful addiction therapy and whatnot….and a few of the post stroke conditions. Methadone, ketamine etc…..so it’s a field with active research and possibly use.
My mum had a stroke (first of quite a few TIAs) in her very early 60s. One of the many conditions afflicting her due to undiagnosed ASCVD…..renal artery stenosis and subsequent high, difficult to manage BP, peripheral vascular disease with claudication limiting her mobility etc. This was in the late 1970s/early 80s and treatment was more passive for mild stroke victims.
Management of BP was less successful than nowadays and early detection of advanced ASCVD and treatment of risk factors pretty much none existent for folk like my mum who rarely went to the doctor…..and would’ve likely received the supervised neglect that fit looking individuals like myself tend to receive.
The difficulties of stroke management…..and there’s no such thing as a mild stroke for someone who’s had one….are but one reason why guidelines for BP management and lipid lowering etc recommend lower numbers than times past.