Stroke news tips for Friday, Fe...( y improved recovery of neurological fun...),Health

y improved recovery of neurological function. Subsequent research has found that Viagra given one day after stroke substantially reduced function deficits. Researchers conclude that Viagra promotes changes in the brain that contribute to the restoration of function.

Michael Chopp, M.D. Henry Ford Health Science Center, Detroit (313) 916-3936, chopp@neuro.hfh.edu.

5:30 p.m. #P269 Inverse link found between homocysteine and exercise in stroke survivors. An excess of homocysteine, an amino acid found in blood, has been identified as a marker for an increased risk of both stroke and heart attack. Previous studies have linked lower levels of physical activity with higher levels of homocysteine. To determine if regular exercise influences levels of this amino acid, researchers identified stroke survivors one month after their stroke, measured their homocysteine levels and assessed their level of physical activity prior to stroke with a questionnaire. Of the 81 individuals enrolled, 51 percent were men, their average age was 63, and 65 percent were AfricanAmerican. Thirty percent of the enrollees were categorized as regular exercisers, which meant that they exercised longer than 20 minutes up to seven times a week. The regular exercisers had lower homocysteine levels (8.4 microcentimeters per liter) than non-exercisers (10.4 mcm/L) and the number of exercise sessions per week was inversely associated with lower homocysteine levels, independent of age, alcohol use and smoking history. The researchers note that additional study is needed to determine the role nutrition may have played in these results. Previous studies have linked a reduced level of B vitamins, such as folate, in the diet, with an increased level of homocysteine. The American Heart Association does not consider an excess of homocysteine a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Souvik Sen, Seton Hall University School of Gradua
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Contact: Carole Bullock
210-582-7159
American Heart Association
8-Feb-2002

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