Mitochondria play an important role in neuronal apoptosis caused by cerebral ischemia.

Researchers at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, China discovered transient ischemia led to cell apoptosis in the hippocampus and changes in memory and cognition of aged rats.

Differential proteomics analysis suggested that this phenomenon may be mediated by mitochondrial proteins associated with energy metabolism and apoptosis in aged rats.

This study reported in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 11, 2014) provides potential drug targets for the treatment of transient cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Article: "Potential targets for protecting against hippocampal cell apoptosis after transient cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in aged rats" by Xiangyu Ji1, Li'na Zhang2, Ran Liu3, Yingzhi Liu1, Jianfang Song1, He Dong1, Yanfang Jia1, Zangong Zhou1 (1 Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China; 2 Department of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China; 3 Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China)

Ji XY, Zhang LN, Liu R, Liu YZ, Song JF, Dong H, Jia YF, Zhou ZG. Potential targets for protecting against hippocampal cell apoptosis after transient cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in aged rats. Neural Regen Res. 2014;9(11):1122-1128.