Brain vulnerability and viability after ischaemia

The susceptibility of the brain to ischaemic injury dramatically limits its viability following interruptions in blood flow. However, data from studies of dissociated cells, tissue specimens, isolated organs and whole bodies have brought into question the temporal limits within which the brain is capable of tolerating prolonged circulatory arrest. This Review assesses cell type-specific mechanisms of global cerebral ischaemia, and examines the circumstances in which the brain exhibits heightened resilience to injury. We suggest strategies for expanding such discoveries to fuel translational research into novel cytoprotective therapies, and describe emerging technologies and experimental concepts. By doing so, we propose a new multimodal framework to investigate brain resuscitation following extended periods of circulatory arrest. The brain is particularly susceptible to injury after ischaemia; however, emerging evidence suggests that, under certain conditions, it may show more resilience. Daniele et al. review the effects of ischaemia on the brain and efforts to study and protect the post-ischaemic brain.

Automated summary

The susceptibility of the brain to ischaemic injury limits its viability after interruptions in blood flow, but emerging evidence suggests that it may show more resilience under certain conditions. Researchers have assessed cell type-specific mechanisms of global cerebral ischaemia and the circumstances in which the brain exhibits heightened resilience to injury, proposing strategies for translational research into novel cytoprotective therapies.