Clarifying the effects of diabetes on the cerebral circulation: Implications for stroke recovery and beyond

Brain Res Bull. 2021 Jun:171:67-74. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.02.025. Epub 2021 Mar 1.

Abstract

Given the sheer increased number of victims per year and the availability of only one effective treatment, acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains to be one of the most under-treated serious diseases. Diabetes not only increases the incidence of ischemic stroke, but amplifies the ischemic damage, upon which if patients with diabetes suffer from stroke, he/she will confront increased risks of long-term functional deficits. The grim reality makes it a pressing need to intensify efforts at the basic science level to understand how diabetes impairs stroke recovery. This review retrospects the clinical and experimental studies in order to elucidate the detrimental effect of diabetes on cerebrovascular circulation including the major arteries/arterioles, collateral circulation, and neovascularization to shed light on further exploration of novel strategies for cerebral circulation protection before and after AIS in patients with diabetes.

Keywords: Cerebral circulation; Diabetes; Ischemic stroke.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / physiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Ischemic Stroke / physiopathology*
  • Recovery of Function / physiology*