Author: Richa Rathod, Anvita Kale, and Sadhana Joshi
Source: Journal of Biomedical Science
Date: January 2016
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4727338/pdf/12929_2016_Article_241.pdf
Article 2 (source used in Article 1): Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids enhance cerebral angiogenesis and provide long-term protection after stroke.
Authors: Wang J, Shi Y, Zhang L, Zhang F, Hu X, Zhang W, et al.
Source: Journal of Biomedical Science
Date: August 2014
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24794156
Explanation of Cerebral Ischemia: http://www.columbianeurosurgery.org/conditions/cerebral-ischemia/
Homocysteine is a non-protein alpha-amino acid. Homocysteine is recycled into methionine or converted into cysteine with the aid of Vitamin B12. If there are high levels of homocysteine in the blood stream, meaning homocysteine is not being converted, a person is more prone to endothelial cell injury. Endothelial cells line our blood vessels and help control inflammation and blood clotting among other things. When endothelial cells are damaged, they cannot perform all their function properly. This could lead to blood clotting. When a blood clot blocks a cerebral vessel, not enough oxygen gets to the brain. This leads to the death of brain tissue, cerebral infarction, or ischemic stroke. Cerebral ischemia is a condition that occurs when there isn't enough blood flow to the brain to meet metabolic demand.
After a stroke caused by cerebral ischemia, the most important therapeutic strategies are enhancing angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) and improve cerebral microcirculation (circulation of blood in the smallest blood vessels). Supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids have been found to improve neurological function after cerebral ischemia. A study done on mice showed that omega-3s induced upregulation (process of increasing the response to a stimulus) of angiopoietin 2 (a growth factor that signals a process where new arteries and veins form from preexisting blood vessels). And angiopoietin 2 facilitates endothelial proliferation, which caused a new barrier to form in the blood vessels. The reformation of these barriers has led to studies showing the overall improvement of cognitive function after someone has suffered from a stroke.
Homocysteine can damage endothelial cells, which can lead to blood clotting in the brain.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the mechanism that causes Vitamin Bs and Omega-3s to create new blood vessels?
Statement: Omega-3s help repair blood vessels.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What is vitamin B's role in repairing blood vessels after stroke damage?
Learned: Homosistene that is not converted can cause damaged blood cells in cerebral tissues which cause strokes. Omega 3-s reduced this issue in mice in a promising study.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: What specific part of this process of getting a stroke is affected by the omega-3s?
Omega-3's help repair blood vessels and create new ones.
ReplyDeleteHow does creating a new blood vessel affect strokes if strokes are caused by blood clots?
Fact: If homocysteine is not being properly converted, the individual is more susceptible to blood clotting, which can cause a stroke
ReplyDeleteQuestion: By what measure did their cognitive function increase? Did they determine it through test scores or something of that nature?
upregulation of angiopoietin 2 leads to overall improvement of cognitive function.
ReplyDeletequestion: why forming barrier is good for cognitive function? sounds counter-intuitive.
Comment: Omega-3's can help the brain function after a disruption of microcirculation.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Do omega-3's help only after strokes caused by disruption of microciruclation, or can they help after strokes caused by the blockage of larger vessels (like the Aorta)
Statement: Omega-3's will allow for upregulation of angiopoirtin 2 which will help to form new barriers in the blood vessels.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Has the been any conclusive evidence that Omega-3 supplementation induces upregulation of angiopoietin 2 in humans, or has this only been tested on rats?
Omega-3s play a role in the repair and creation of new blood vessels after a stroke by aiding the up regulation of angiopoietin.
ReplyDeleteWhat is angiopoietin?