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Updated: May 12, 2026

Measuring Post-Stroke Cerebral Edema, Infarct Zone and Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown in a Single Set of Rodent Brain Samples
Published on: October 23, 2020
Acute cerebral ischaemia: relationship between serum and cerebrospinal fluid orexin-A concentration and infarct
Dilcan Kotan1, Orhan Deniz, Recep Aygul
1Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey. dilcankotan@yahoo.com
Objective:
Orexins are hypothalamic neuropeptides that are involved in feeding, neuroendocrine regulation, sleep-wakefulness and sleep disorders (such as narcolepsy). This study investigated the relationship between serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) orexin-A concentrations and infarct volume, in patients with ischaemic stroke.
Methods:
Serum and CSF concentrations of orexin-A were determined 48-72 h after the onset of ischaemic stroke in patients, then compared with those of healthy control subjects of comparable age. Infarct volumes were measured using computerized tomography, 48-72 h after hospitalization.
Results:
Mean serum and CSF orexin-A concentrations were significantly lower among ischaemic stroke patients (n = 29) compared with control subjects (n = 13). There was a significant inverse correlation between infarct volumes and CSF orexin-A concentrations in patients with ischaemic stroke.
Conclusion:
These data show that serum and CSF orexin-A concentrations decrease after cerebral ischaemia and may play a role in the development of brain injury. The orexin-A concentration in the CSF might be a useful biomarker for the assessment of progression of brain tissue damage during the early stages of ischaemic stroke.

