Neuroprotection by ischemic preconditioning has been confirmed by many studies, but the precise mechanism remains unclear.

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In the pretreatment group, there were more vascular endothelial growth factor-positive cells in the hippocampal CA3 region of cerebral infarction rats (immunohistochemical staining)
Credit: Neural Regeneration Research

In a study released in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 11, 2014), Dr. Yong Liu and co-workers from Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China performed cerebral ischemic preconditioning in rats by simulating a transient ischemic attack, and explored the mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning.

Researchers discovered that the infarct volume became significantly smaller underwent preconditioning.

Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor immunoreactivity was considerably greater in the hippocampal CA3 region of preconditioned rats.

Their results suggest that the protective effects of ischemic preconditioning on focal cerebral infarction are associated with upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor.

Article: " Neuroprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning in focal cerebral infarction: relationship with upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor," by Yong Liu1, 2, Suiqiang Zhu1, Yunfu Wang2, Jingquan Hu2, Lili Xu2, Li Ding2, Guangjian Liu2 (1 Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; 2 Department of Neurology, Taihe Hospital Affiliated to Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei Province, China) Liu Y, Zhu SQ, Wang YF, Hu JQ, Xu LL, Ding L, Liu GJ. Neuroprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning in focal cerebral infarction: relationship with upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor. Neural Regen Res. 2014;9(11):1117-1121.