For individuals
who are young and middle-aged adults, cervical artery dissection exists as one
of the major causes of stroke. Cervical artery dissection describes a condition
where one of the arteries traveling through the neck and to the brain
experiences a tear in the lining. This results in increased risk for blood
clotting as well as compression of nearby nerves and blood vessels, which
reduces blood flow to the brain. This decreased blood flow to the brain
significantly increases the risk for an individual to experience brain damage
or even a stroke, which can lead to significant mental impairment or death.
Researchers from
University of London’s Royal Holloway in combination with a team of researchers
spanning in geographic location from across Europe and the United States, have
made a genetic discovery that explains a reduced risk in certain individuals
for the aforementioned major cause of stroke. A large study was executed,
including 1,400 patients with cervical artery dissection and 14,400 individuals
who do not have this condition. The entire genomes of all those involved in the
study were screened to determine if differences existed that would explain
increased or decreased risk for cervical artery dissection. The researchers
found that those with a particular gene variant, PHACTR1, had a decreased risk
for being afflicted with cervical artery dissection. The gene variant has also
been linked with defense against migraines and heart attack risk.
Researchers have
stated that this finding will be essential in helping to further understand the
impact of this particular portion of the genetic code on characteristics of
blood vessel formation and maintenance in the body. They hope that such
information will result in treatments and methods of prevention for conditions
related to the body’s vasculature, such as stroke. They hope to do further
related investigation of the genome to determine other genetic variations that
may be linked to increased or decreased risk for stroke.
I find this
article and the discovery it details to be very interesting. Strokes have the
capability to produce such horrible brain damage and even death, so any
information to further understand mechanisms that increase the likelihood of
experiencing a stroke is of great value. Such information can be used for the
purposes of beneficial prevention measures and treatments. It is wonderful that
this study of genome screening brought light to this one particular gene
variant, which decreases risk of cervical artery dissection. Hopefully, other
similar findings will be made regarding other risk factors for stroke using
this methodology.
Link to Article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141125074753.htm
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This is a very interesting article that has the ability to have a substantial impact in the health field. Giving Doctors the ability to identify patients with an increased risk of stroke give them a better chance to prevent these strokes from occurring. It can also be used to settle people's minds if strokes seem to run in their families.
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