Molecular Mechanisms of Inflammation in Stroke

Abstract

Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and the leading cause of disability worldwide. Pathophysiological events such as excitotoxicity, oxidative and nitrative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis play significant roles in the brain injury development following stroke. Cytotoxicity can be the first negative process in stroke that is followed by cellular death and damage. Therefore, the brain tissue triggers an ordinated chain of molecular mechanisms to reduce injuries of this cytotoxicity. Inflammation cascade as one of these responses applies the most effective role in brain tissue protection and repair. Principally, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammation involved in stroke injury can be categorized in three major phases from deleterious to beneficial. This chapter decides to introduce a new insight into molecular pathways of stroke development and other mechanisms that prevent more brain injuries. Moreover, it demonstrates particularly the association between stroke and inflammation in detail.