Regular aerobic exercise may protect the collateral circulation and lessen the severity of strokes later in life.
The network of blood vessels (collateral circulation) shrinks in number and diameter as the brain ages. Collateral circulation allows blood flow to be rerouted when arteries narrow. Using mice, researchers found that this loss of collateral vessels is prevented by exercise, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association’s International Stroke Conference 2017.
The amount of damage to the brain after a stroke and the effectiveness of recovery treatments depend significantly on the extent of collateral circulation.
Mice that started exercising regularly at 12 months-age (equivalent to 40 years-age in humans) had the same abundance of collateral vessels when they ...
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