Translational traps: sex and aging in stroke research stroke research

Wednesday, June 7, 2017 | 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET

Louise D. McCullough, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief of Neurology, Memorial Herman Hospital – Texas Medical Center

Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology

UT Health

Summary

Dr. McCullough’s research interests primarily focus on: 1) understanding sex differences in ischemic cell death 2) age related inflammation and 3) social factors in stroke recovery.

Basic molecular and animal studies in males and females have direct translational relevance, as treatments have revealed the efficacy in one sex has paradoxically shown a detrimental effect in the other sex. This is now increasingly recognized in clinical stroke populations.

Another important area of Dr. McCullough’s research is understanding the genetic and hormonal differences in inflammation across the life span. The immune response to stroke differs in aged animals and elderly stroke patients. Studies in her laboratory are investigating the role of inflammation in stroke recovery. Current studies are manipulating age-related inflammation using bone marrow transplants, parabiosis and microbiome transfers.

Factors such as depression and social isolation also dramatically impact recovery and mortality after experimental stroke as well as in stroke patients. Mechanisms currently being investigated are microRNA regulation of microglia and microbiome alterations with depression.