A "BRAIN fertilising" hormone already at our fingertips could improve quality of life for stroke survivors, potentially even months or years after experiencing a stroke.
Researchers from the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute in NSW found the first-of-its-kind treatment, which involves giving patients a growth hormone, could lead to an improvement in cognition after experiencing a stroke.
In Australia, someone suffers a stroke every 10 minutes, with memory loss and learning difficulties just some of the side-effects for up to 80 per cent of survivors.
University of Newcastle neuroscientist, Associate Professor Rohan Walker, and the Australian team worked with researchers in Sweden to make the discovery.
Associate Professor Walker said growth hormone could play a critical role in brain repair after injury.
"Specifically, we found that growth hormone treatment after stroke significantly improved learning and memory performance - a promising development for survivors around the world," he said.
Hunter Medical Research Institute director and report co-author Michael Nilsson said the new finding was an important step in stroke rehabilitation.
"Stroke recovery can be a long and difficult process, with almost half a million survivors in Australia," he said.
"Often, the consequence of stroke is severe and effects can be long-lasting.
"This encouraging discovery will be a welcome development for all those touched by the devastation stroke can leave behind."
What is growth hormone?
Growth hormone is a peptide hormone released from the pituitary gland, a tiny organ found at the base of the brain. The hormone promotes cell growth throughout the body, including bone and muscle repair.
Previous studies have shown growth hormone to have beneficial effects in promoting cognition post-brain injury, however co-author and post-doctoral research fellow Lin Kooi Ong said their work refining treatment methods in stroke survivors was vital moving forward.
"Although already used in medical treatment, this is the first time growth hormone has been looked at in this application," Dr Ong said.
The research team looked at the effects of administering growth hormone at 48 hours post-stroke for a period of 28 days.
Dr Ong said results showed a significant improvement in learning and memory tasks after the therapy, as well as a reduction in neural tissue loss.
"We also found that growth hormone treatment promoted 'brain plasticity' such as new blood vessel growth and the repair of neuronal networks after stroke, as well as a robust increase in the levels of neurotrophic factors or 'brain fertilisers' which promote cognitive functionality," he said.
