Abstract
Background
Stroke is the third common cause of mortality and the most common cause of morbidity
in adults. MLC601 (NeuroAiD™) is a treatment indicated for post stroke recovery. An
increase of impaired cerebral blood flow may be an important parameter for recovery
processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of MLC601 on cerebral
blood flow velocity as an indirect evidence of cerebral blood flow increase in post
stroke subjects.
Methods
This is a double-blinded, placebo controlled, randomized study of 80 subjects included
within a week of stroke onset. All subjects were given either MLC601 or placebo, 4
capsules, 3 times a day for 3 months. Cerebral blood flow within the middle cerebral
artery, with blood flow velocity measured by transcranial Doppler (TCD), and Barthel
index was assessed at baseline and at 3 months.
Results
The mean change in cerebral blood flow velocity in the MLC601 treatment group (15.9)
was significantly increased (p=0.009) compared to the placebo group (9.6). Subjects in the treatment group also showed
a significant difference in the mean rank of modified ranking scale (p<0.001) and mean change of the Barthel Index: 36 vs. 29 in the placebo group (p<0.001).
Conclusion
This is the first study suggesting that treatment with MLC601 may increase cerebral
blood flow in stroke subjects. This may be mediated by an effect on stimulating microcirculation,
an important process contributing to neuroplasticity in the central nervous system.
This effect on cerebral blood flow may be associated with improvement in measures
of functional recovery.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 08, 2011
Accepted:
January 7,
2011
Received in revised form:
December 25,
2010
Received:
October 17,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
