Disease Fact Sheets
All Diseases	Stroke

CIRM funds many projects investigating the basic biology of neuronal diseases and generating stem cell-derived neuronal tissue. These more basic projects could lead to therapies in a wide range of diseases effecting the nervous sytem, including stroke. Additional CIRM-funded research focuses specifically on developing new therapies for the disease, including one disease team project that is intended to bring a new stroke therapy to clinical trials within four years.

If you want to learn more about CIRM funding decisions or make a comment directly to our board, join us at a public meeting. You can find agendas for upcoming public meetings on our meetings page.

Learn more about stem cell research:
Stem Cell Basics Primer | Stem Cell Videos | What We Fund

Find clinical trials:
CIRM does not track stem cell clinical trials. If you or a family member is interested in participating in a clinical trial, please see the national trial database to find a trial near you: clinicaltrials.gov

Description

Stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain and cuts off blood flow. Brain cells begin to die within minutes when they are deprived of oxygen and nutrients. A less common kind of stroke involves a burst blood vessel that bleeds into the brain, also killing brain cells. Losing these brain cells can cause permanent loss of motor control, movement and cognitive abilities.

A stroke requires immediate treatment. Signs of stroke include sudden onset of numbness of the face, arm or leg, confusion, blurred vision, dizziness or headache. Doctors can intervene by dissolving the clot and restoring blood flow or stopping the bleeding.

In recent years, death rates from stroke have declined, but incidence of stroke is increasing, implying there are more stroke survivors with disabilities in need of care.

CIRM Grants Targeting Stroke

CIRM Stroke Videos

Disease Team Award

CIRM has funded a stroke multidisciplinary team led by researchers at the Stanford University. All Disease Team Award recipients are expected to meet milestones along the path to reaching FDA clinical trial submission within four years. 

• Read about the CIRM Disease Teams
• Read the stroke disease team public summary

The Stanford University-led team plans to use cells derived from human embryonic stem cells as a post-stroke treatment to improve recovery in the weeks and months following a stroke. The team has developed a technique that to restrict the potential of embryonic stem cells to neural stem cells that differentiate only into cell types that are normally found in the brain. When these neural stem cells are transplanted into the brains of mice or rats one week after a stroke, the animals are able to regain strength in their limbs. Based on these findings, the Stanford-led team proposes to further develop these neural stem cells into a clinical development program for stroke in humans at the end of this grant period.

News and Information

• A Stroke for Stem Cells (Scientific American)
• Stem Cells Replace Stroke-Damaged Tissue In Rats (Science Daily)
• Stem Cells Fill Gap Left By Stroke, Says Stanford Researcers (Stanford)

Resources

• NIH: Stroke Information
• CDC: Stroke information
• Find a clinical trial near you: NIH Clinical Trials database
• American Stroke Association
• National Stroke Association
• Stroke Awareness Foundation
• Family Caregiver Alliance
• National Family Caregivers Association