A new study by researchers at the Department of Molecular Medicine at SDU sheds light on one of the most severe consequences of stroke: damage to the brain’s “cables”—the so-called nerve fibers—which leads to permanent impairments. The study, published in The Journal of Pathology, which is based on unique tissue samples from Denmark’s Brain Bank located at SDU, may pave the way for new treatments that help the brain repair itself.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked, leading to brain damage. Following an injury, the brain tries to repair the damaged nerve fibers by re-establishing their insulating layer, called myelin. Unfortunately, the repair process often succeeds only partially, meaning many patients experience lasting damage to their physical and mental functions.

According to Professor Kate Lykke Lambertsen, one of the study’s lead authors, the brain has the resources to repair itself, “We need to find ways to help the cells complete their work, even under difficult conditions.”