Perioperative Stroke Risk and Cerebral Preconditioning in the Female
Stephanie J. Murphy, V.M.D., Ph.D. – Principal Investigator

Women undergoing cardiovascular procedures have a greater risk for perioperative stroke than men.  Anesthesia for such cardiovascular procedures is an important consideration since anesthetic agents affect ischemic outcome in experimental stroke and may delay or even prevent neurological complications from perioperative stroke. 

Our previous work suggests that neuroprotection from such anesthetic preconditioning (APC) occurs in male animals but not in females and that APC in females actually enhances ischemic damage after middle cerebral artery occlusion.  In our current research, therefore, we are focusing on how female gender and estradiol-specific effects lead to a detrimental response in APC female ischemic brain using a mouse isoflurane preconditioning model.   

This research is funded by the National Institutes of Health.