Scientists revealed the dangerous time of day for severe strokes

Spanish scientists found that stroke at night is more dangerous: time of day affects the severity of brain damage

As reported by TUT.AZ with reference to the journal Circulation Research, researchers from the Carlos III National Research Center in Spain made an important discovery: ischemic stroke that occurs in the evening or at night leads to more serious brain damage. The culprits turned out to be neutrophils – the most numerous cells of innate immunity, whose activity changes depending on the time of day. Scientists came to this conclusion after experiments on mice and analysis of data from more than 500 patients.

In the dark hours, neutrophils become more aggressive and more actively release extracellular traps – complex structures of DNA and proteins resembling a web. Although these mechanisms usually protect the body from infections, they play a negative role in stroke: they worsen blood circulation in the brain, contribute to the formation of microthrombi, and increase tissue damage.

Morning hours, on the contrary, are characterized by less aggression of neutrophils, which helps the body limit the affected area during a stroke. Researchers emphasize that this discovery may explain why patients with similar symptoms often have completely different outcomes of the disease.