When we talk about what happens in the body during a stroke, there are a few important things to understand. Let’s break it down simply:
Ischemia: The most common type of stroke is called ischemic stroke. This happens when blood can't reach a part of the brain. It can be blocked by a clot that forms in the brain (called a thrombus) or a clot that moves from somewhere else in the body (called an embolus). Without blood, the brain cells start to die quickly, often within minutes.
Excitotoxicity: When blood flow stops, the brain releases too much of a chemical called glutamate. This can cause the brain cells to become overactive. Too much activity can lead to a harmful buildup of calcium in the cells, which can hurt or kill them.
Inflammatory Response: After a stroke, the body's defense system gets to work. However, sometimes the cells that fight damage can make things worse by damaging even more brain tissue and making the injury bigger.
Apoptosis: Many brain cells that are hurt will shut down and die as part of a process called programmed cell death, or apoptosis. This means there are fewer healthy cells left to keep the brain working well.
Hemorrhagic Stroke: On the other hand, a hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding. This can directly harm brain cells and increase pressure inside the skull.
Understanding these processes is important. It helps doctors find better ways to treat people who have strokes. It may seem complicated, but it's a really interesting area to study!
When we talk about what happens in the body during a stroke, there are a few important things to understand. Let’s break it down simply:
Ischemia: The most common type of stroke is called ischemic stroke. This happens when blood can't reach a part of the brain. It can be blocked by a clot that forms in the brain (called a thrombus) or a clot that moves from somewhere else in the body (called an embolus). Without blood, the brain cells start to die quickly, often within minutes.
Excitotoxicity: When blood flow stops, the brain releases too much of a chemical called glutamate. This can cause the brain cells to become overactive. Too much activity can lead to a harmful buildup of calcium in the cells, which can hurt or kill them.
Inflammatory Response: After a stroke, the body's defense system gets to work. However, sometimes the cells that fight damage can make things worse by damaging even more brain tissue and making the injury bigger.
Apoptosis: Many brain cells that are hurt will shut down and die as part of a process called programmed cell death, or apoptosis. This means there are fewer healthy cells left to keep the brain working well.
Hemorrhagic Stroke: On the other hand, a hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding. This can directly harm brain cells and increase pressure inside the skull.
Understanding these processes is important. It helps doctors find better ways to treat people who have strokes. It may seem complicated, but it's a really interesting area to study!