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Brain-Heart Axis and the Inflammatory Response: Connecting Stroke and Cardiac Dysfunction
Xiaosheng Chen1, Jiajie Gu1, Xiaojia Zhang1
1Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Insights
Stroke can significantly impact heart function, leading to cardiac dysfunction. Understanding the brain-heart axis mechanisms post-stroke is crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing mortality.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiology
- Pathophysiology
Background:
- The brain-heart axis, detailing interactions between brain injuries and cardiac dysfunction, is increasingly studied.
- Brain injuries are a primary cause of post-stroke mortality, with cardiac dysfunction being the second leading cause.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the mechanisms and effects of cardiac dysfunction following stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic).
- To elucidate the influence of stroke on the heart and understand the underlying brain-heart axis mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on mechanistic interactions between brain and heart post-stroke.
- Analysis of studies investigating cardiac dysfunction after stroke onset.
Main Results:
- Established association between brain injuries and cardiac dysfunction.
- Identified stroke site and brain-heart axis mechanisms (e.g., HPA axis, immune responses) as key factors.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac dysfunction is a significant consequence of stroke, necessitating further research.
- Understanding the brain-heart axis is vital for managing stroke and associated cardiac complications.
Background:
In recent years, the mechanistic interaction between the brain and heart has been explored in detail, which explains the effects of brain injuries on the heart and those of cardiac dysfunction on the brain. Brain injuries are the predominant cause of post-stroke deaths, and cardiac dysfunction is the second leading cause of mortality after stroke onset.
Summary:
Several studies have reported the association between brain injuries and cardiac dysfunction. Therefore, it is necessary to study the influence on the heart post-stroke to understand the underlying mechanisms of stroke and cardiac dysfunction. This review focuses on the mechanisms and the effects of cardiac dysfunction after the onset of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke).
Key Messages:
The role of the site of stroke and the underlying mechanisms of the brain-heart axis after stroke onset, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammatory and immune responses, brain-multi-organ axis, are discussed.
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