Stroke is a major cause of death, disability, and public health problems. Its intervention is limited to early treatment with thrombolytics and/or endovascular clot removal with mechanical thrombectomy. Currently, there are no available subacute or chronic neuroprotective treatments. RNS60 has reduced glial inflammation and increased neuronal survival in several animal models of neurodegeneration and trauma. This work, conducted by scientists at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, aimed to evaluate whether RNS60 protects the brain and cognitive function in a mouse stroke model.

Mice were subjected to transient ischemic stroke for 60 minutes and were treated with blinded daily administrations of RNS60 or control fluids beginning 2 hours after surgery. Thirteen days of treatment with RNS60 reduced the size of brain infarcts, amyloid pathology, and white matter damage and increased microvascular perfusion. On a cellular level, the researchers observed less neuronal death and microglial activation. These improvements were associated with increased memory and learning and improved cognitive flexibility of the RNS60 treated animals compared to controls.

Link to the paper: Neuroprotective Effect of RNS60 in the Mouse Model of Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia | PLOS ONE