Advancing Research
by funding Grant Programs and Fellowships
Driving Innovation
by guiding studies such as the FAST Initiative, the SuperAgers Initiative, and the TAME Trial
Furthering the Field
by supporting the infrastructure of three NIA Initiatives and leading the Amplifying Geroscience Initiative.
Top Breakthroughs driven by AFAR Experts
Delaying Disease by Targeting Aging
Saving Costs by Extending Healthspan
What are the Hallmarks of Aging?
How and Why Do We Age?
What is Geroscience?
What is the Longevity Dividend?
What's Next in aging research?
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability. However, few treatment options exist to enhance stroke recovery. While significant progress is being made to understand molecular changes from stroke, most of the studies use young adult animals. This removes age-related variables, and possibly limits how the interventions that could develop from these studies would translate to patients.
In the proposed research, Dr. Amy Gleichman will investigate the manipulation of astrocytes for stroke recovery. Astrocytes are the most prevalent cells in the brain. They play many roles in the brain, including driving neural plasticity through synapse formation and elimination. Dr. Gleichman will focus on how astrocyte cells can influence neuronal connectivity after stroke and how those functions could be altered to promote repair. Dr. Gleichman will also investigate the ways astrocyte responses change with age, especially as neuronal connectivity can be influenced by age. This study could lead to clear targets for repairing neuronal connectivity after stroke and lead to stroke recovery for both young and older patients.
