Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) may be associated with the activation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), according to
high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of 41 patients.
The patients had ischemic stroke - the most common form of the event which is caused by a blockage of the blood supply to the brain.
It is typically much less damaging than haemorrhagic stroke, where blood leaking into the brain impairs cognitive function.
However, some PSCI is still seen, leading scientists writing in the Journal of Neuroinflammation to research potential causes for this using HPLC.
They focused on kynurenine metabolites and particularly on IDO, discovering that higher ratios of kynurenine to tryptophan in the blood could be linked with decreased post-stroke cognition.
Accounting for age, lesion volume and stroke severity, the link remained between the highest ratio and the lowest post-stroke cognitive performance.
"These data suggest an inflammatory response characterised by IDO activation may be relevant to the development of PSCI," the researchers conclude.
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