A stroke in the brain can lead to long-lasting changes to arteries in other parts of the body, including the abdomen, according to a Spanish study in rats.
Researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), looked at the effect of a temporary lack of blood flow to the brain (to mimic what happens in a stroke) on rats with high blood pressure, which is a key risk factor for stroke.
The team saw that arteries in the abdomen, called the mesenteric arteries, were larger, had thickened walls and did not contract properly.
However, giving the drug suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) to the rats gave them long-term protection against the brain damage that can occur from stroke.
Lead author Andrea Díaz-Pérez said: “These findings are particularly promising since SAHA is already approved for treating a type of cancer, and in this study, we used doses equivalent to those given to humans.”
Also in Spain, last week the seventh annual report of the Spanish Transparency Agreement on animal research was published, showing significant progress being made by its 168 signatory institutions to communicate with the public about animal research.
The report showed that in 2023 more than a third of signatory institutions published news on their institution's website related to animal research, while a similar number have taken part in outreach activities.