In a study in mice, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered a new potential therapeutic approach to facilitate neurological recovery in people with diabetes suffering from a stroke. The treatment strategy is based on the chronic normalization of hyperglycemia after stroke. The scientists hope that these new results, presented in the scientific journal Diabetes, open the possibility to improve the current rehabilitative strategies against stroke in the diabetic population.

The prevalence of diabetes in the world is expected to rise dramatically to 700 million people in 2045. Stroke is one of the major complications in people with diabetes who are not only at higher risk to suffer from a stroke but also have diminished and slower recovery in the rehabilitation phase. While lifestyle changes have in part reduced the risk to have a stroke, there are no specific therapies to improve neurological recovery after stroke in people with diabetes.

The results show the efficacy of two unrelated diabetes treatments that normalize hyperglycemia, Linagliptin, and Glimepiride in facilitating neurological recovery after stroke. The initiation of glycemia regulation could even start several days after stroke and still show positive results.

– This in turn suggests that people with diabetes might have a better prognosis after a stroke if the chronic regulation of glycemia will be given a high priority after hospitalization, says Cesare Patrone who led the study with Vladimer Darsalia.

Source: Karolinska Institutet