How brain cells die in stroke and what this means for treatment

Multiple cell death pathways are implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke.

• Intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, parthanatos, phagoptosis, and pyroptosis are identified as potential pathways of neuronal death.
• Current treatment approaches focus on rapid blood flow restoration, but can lead to additional complications like ischemia/reperfusion injury.
• There is a critical need for neuroprotective interventions due to unclear mechanisms of neuronal death during ischemic stroke.
• Pharmacological studies are being reviewed to identify emerging drug targets for ischemic stroke treatment.
• The findings may enhance understanding of ischemic stroke pathology and facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies.

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