Neuroimmune Support of Neuronal Regeneration and Neuroplasticity following Cerebral Ischemia in Juvenile Mice

Authors

Ricaurte A Marquez-Ortiz
Vesna Tesic
Daniel R Hernandez
Bilkis Akhter
Nibedita Aich
Porter M Boudreaux
Garrett A Clemons
Celeste Yin-Chieh Wu
Hung Wen Lin
Krista M Rodgers

Publication Date

9-17-2023

Journal

Brain Science

Abstract

Ischemic damage to the brain and loss of neurons contribute to functional disabilities in many stroke survivors. Recovery of neuroplasticity is critical to restoration of function and improved quality of life. Stroke and neurological deficits occur in both adults and children, and yet it is well documented that the developing brain has remarkable plasticity which promotes increased post-ischemic functional recovery compared with adults. However, the mechanisms underlying post-stroke recovery in the young brain have not been fully explored. We observed opposing responses to experimental cerebral ischemia in juvenile and adult mice, with substantial neural regeneration and enhanced neuroplasticity detected in the juvenile brain that was not found in adults. We demonstrate strikingly different stroke-induced neuroimmune responses that are deleterious in adults and protective in juveniles, supporting neural regeneration and plasticity. Understanding age-related differences in neuronal repair and regeneration, restoration of neural network function, and neuroimmune signaling in the stroke-injured brain may offer new insights for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for stroke rehabilitation.

Keywords

cerebral ischemia, neural regeneration, neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, functional recovery, neuroimmune signaling

Comments

Data Availability Statement

PMID: 37759938