Blood substitution to protect older adults' brains after stroke
A Novel Blood Substitution Approach Treats Acute Ischemia in the Aged Brain
This project tries replacing part of the blood to protect the brains of people aged 65 and older who have an acute ischemic stroke.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174602 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work focuses on older adults because people 65+ have higher stroke risk and worse recovery. The team is testing a blood substitution approach that replaces part of the blood to remove inflammatory white blood cells and enzymes (like MMP‑9) that can break down the blood–brain barrier after an ischemic stroke. They use MRI, blood tests, and preclinical aged-stroke models to measure blood–brain barrier integrity, inflammation, infarct size, survival, and neurological function. Successful preclinical findings would support moving this approach into clinical trials for people treated in the acute phase after stroke.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people age 65 or older who experience an acute ischemic stroke and can be treated quickly at a participating hospital.
Not a fit: People with hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke, those with only chronic stable stroke without new acute symptoms, or patients not eligible for acute interventions would likely not benefit from this acute blood-substitution approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce early brain damage, lower death and disability, and improve recovery after stroke in older patients.
How similar studies have performed: Similar blood-exchange approaches have shown benefit in animal stroke models by reducing inflammatory markers and injury, but human clinical benefit has not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ren, Xuefang Sophie — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Ren, Xuefang Sophie
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.