Researcher portrait, 2010-02-04

Knowing More About the Blood-Brain Barrier Can Lead to New Stroke Treatment


– Meet Linda Fredriksson

Linda Fredriksson, MD, Karolinska Institutet, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research has a postdoctoral fellowship from the Swedish Research Council to conduct research at the University of Michigan Medical School. Here you can read an interview with her.
"My project focuses on trying to clarify the role of the tPA enzyme in conjunction with stroke. This knowledge could contribute towards finding new ways to treat stroke and other neurological diseases where the blood brain-barrier is defective."

"Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and functional impairment in Western nations. It usually occurs when a blood clot obstructs a blood vessel in the brain. This blockage restricts the blood supply to the brain, causing oxygen deficiency — ischaemia — in the area around the clot."

"In Sweden, as in the USA and much of Europe, we have introduced thrombolytic treatment in patients with ischemic stroke by injecting tPA enzyme into the blood. This enzyme is normally found in blood, but by supplying extra we can accelerate the degradation of blood clots.

"However, fewer than 5% of patients with ischemic stroke actually receive this treatment. The reason is because treatment must begin within three hours of the initial symptoms; otherwise it could lead to haemorrhaging and cause further damage to the brain. "

"Previous research has shown that tPA can evoke opening in the blood-brain barrier, a barrier that normally protects the brain from harmful substances. This could possibly explain the adverse effects of tPA treatment."

How far have you come?


"We have identified the mechanism behind the opening of the blood-brain barrier that tPA causes, and we have even shown that blocking certain receptors in the brain can limit post-stroke injury in mice."

"The same blocking also limits the side effects after thrombolytic treatment using tPA in mice with stroke. We are currently following up the results to better understand the role that these signals normally play, and can play under diseased conditions."

Why did you choose this particular research topic?


"It´s an extremely interesting and socially beneficial research area – and a topic near to my heart since I worked on this while earning my PhD."
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