A new study found that injection of the protein Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) following stroke reduces the area affected by a third, even when injected 3 days after the stroke.

G-CSF regulates apotosis (programmed cell death) and neurogenesis (the creation of new neurons). The study found that G-CSF injected within four hours of a stroke reduced the size of the infarct and regular, delayed injections were effective in restoring motor functions in rats.

These data further strengthen G-CSF’s profile as a unique candidate stroke drug, and provide an experimental basis for application of G-CSF in the post-stroke recovery
phase.

BioMed Central Abstract – G-CSF treatment in cerebral ischemia