The results of this research are published this month in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Survivors are usually left with neurological deficits including aphasia and loss of motor function. ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder involving the motor neurons of the cortex, brain stem, and spinal cord. The onset of disease is usually in the fourth or fifth decade of life and affected individuals succumb within 2 to 5 years of disease onset. Disease onset and mortality were earlier among male mice than among females studied. This can be attributed to the presence of estrogen in females.