This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 40/3_suppl_1/S8    most recent STROKEAHA.108.533166v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Takano, T. Articles by Nedergaard, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Takano, T. Articles by Nedergaard, M. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Related Collections Other Stroke Treatment - Medical

(Stroke. 2009;40:S8.)
© 2009 American Heart Association, Inc.

Neurovascular Unit

Astrocytes and Ischemic Injury

Takahiro Takano, PhD; NancyAnn Oberheim, PhD; Maria Luisa Cotrina, PhD Maiken Nedergaard, MD, DMSc

From the Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY.

Correspondence to Maiken Nedergaard, Divison of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642. E-mail nedergaard{at}urmc.rochester.edu

Ischemic injury is traditionally viewed from an axiomatic perspective of neuronal loss. Yet the ischemic infarct encompasses all cell types, including astrocytes. This review will discuss the idea that astrocytes play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of ischemic neuronal death. It is proposed that stroke injury is primarily a consequence of the failure of astrocytes to support the essential metabolic needs of neurons. This "gliocentric view" of stroke injury predicts that pharmacological interventions specifically targeting neurons are unlikely to succeed, because it is not feasible to preserve neuronal viability in an environment that fails to meet essential metabolic requirements. Neuroprotective efforts targeting the functional integrity of astrocytes may constitute a superior strategy for future neuroprotection.

Key Words: ischemia • astrocytes • ischemic injury

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. E. Benarroch Astrocyte-neuron interactions: Implications for epilepsy Neurology, October 20, 2009; 73(16): 1323 - 1327. [Full Text] [PDF]