Experimental stroke

Stroke remains the third leading cause of death in the United States. Even among survivors, disability due to hemiparesis, gait disorders, aphasia and other deficits is common and about 20% of stroke survivors require institutional care at 6 months post-stroke. This long-term disability contributes to the average lifetime cost for stroke care of ~$140,000 and an annual national cost of ~$54 billion. The most recent major advance in clinical ischemic stroke treatment, the use of thrombolytic agents to dissolve clots in the acute aftermath of stroke, appears to be effective only within the first 3 hours after onset of symptoms; therefore, widely effective treatment for stroke remains elusive, and remains one of the biggest medical challenges in the 21st century.