Aim
To investigate the efficacy of a diet, containing anti-inflammatory ingredients, as treatment for focal ischemic brain damage induced by photothrombotic stroke in the somatosensory cortex of rats.
Conclusion
This study reveals potentially beneficial effects of a diet containing elevated amounts of anti-inflammatory nutrients on the recovery from ischemic brain damage. Therefore, dietary intervention can be considered as an adjuvant therapy for recovery from this brain pathology.
Results
Brain lesions were surrounded by strong astrogliosis on both day 7 and day 21 after stroke and were accompanied by a trend toward globally decreased glucose metabolism on day 7. The investigational diet applied 2 weeks before the ischemia did not affect astrocyte activation on day 7, but reduced it at day 21. The investigational diet applied immediately after the ischemia, increased astrocyte activation on day 7 and completely reversed this effect on day 21. Moreover, postischemic intervention increased glucose metabolism in somatosensory cortex ipsilateral to the lesion on day 7.