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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research shows high levels of social support can provide protection to the brain during a stroke.
In a study on male mice, researchers found those living with female partners before and after a stroke had significantly higher survival rates than mice that lived alone. Whats more, the cohabitating mice suffered much less brain damage than the solitary mice.
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Under nearly every measure, it seems that there was something about living together that protected the mice by reducing the damaging inflammatory response, Kate Karelina, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in neuroscience at Ohio State University, was quoted as saying.
Researchers tested the brain tissues of each type of mouse at various times following the stroke. They discovered social isolation contributed to the extent of neural damage as early as 24 hours after a stroke. Tissue damage was about four times larger in solitary mice compared to the mice that lived with a partner. Cohabitating mice also experienced less edema -- excess water in the brain -- than the other mice.
Study authors say this information is early, but could provide valuable insight for human stroke patients.
Were learning more about what it is about social support that helps stroke victims have more positive outcomes, Karelina said.
SOURCE: Presented at the Society for Neurosciences annual meeting in Washington, D.C., November 18, 2008
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