Glossary terms

Ischaemic tolerance

A condition of transiently increased resistance to ischaemic injury as a result of the activation of endogenous adaptive mechanisms by preconditioning.

Preconditioning

Presenting a stressful but non-damaging stimulus to cells, tissues or organisms to promote a transient adaptive response so that injury resulting from subsequent exposure to a harmful stimulus is reduced.

Anoxia

Complete lack of oxygen; in contrast to hypoxia, or low oxygen.

Ischaemia

The condition of reduced or blocked blood flow to a tissue, which, as a result of reduced oxygen and nutrient delivery, can lead to tissue injury.

Stroke

A cerebrovascular injury in which blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted by vessel occlusion (ischaemic stroke) or by vessel wall rupture (haemorrhagic stroke); brain damage and death can rapidly ensue.

Cerebral plasticity

The ability of the brain to reorganize or change both structurally and functionally in response to a challenge, stressor or new experience; this change can be short- or long-lasting, or permanent.

Oxidative and nitrosative stress

A potentially helpful or harmful condition that is due to the actions of molecular compounds with reactive oxygen or reactive nitrogen groups, respectively.

Reactive oxygen species

Highly reactive compounds containing oxygen with an unpaired electron; at low concentrations they subserve signalling functions, but at higher concentrations they can damage cellular macromolecules.

Inflammatory cytokines

Members of a group of intercellular signalling molecules, produced by stimulated immune cells and other cells, that trigger and/or amplify inflammatory responses.

Caspases

A family of aspartate-specific cysteine proteases most well known for their involvement in promoting apoptotic cell death, although they may also exhibit apoptosis-independent signalling functions.

Spreading depression

A decrease in neuronal activity evoked by local stimulation of brain tissue leading to a wave of depolarization that spreads slowly across the entire tissue.

Autocrine and paracrine

A form of localized signalling in which a cell secretes a given substance that then acts on the same cell, or neighbouring target cells to achieve a biological effect.

Normoxia

Normal (sea level) oxygen levels.

Proteasome pathway

A mechanism whereby proteins are degraded by other proteins; these other proteins often exist as a complex of various proteases.

Decoy receptors

Soluble or cell-surface-binding proteins that bind the ligand with high affinity and specificity, but do not induce a biological response; used in immunological regulation.

Neurovascular unit

A practical construct consisting of brain endothelium, astrocytes and microglia, neurons, and the extracellular matrix, and the dynamic interactions that occur between them in health and disease.

Epoxy eicosatrienoic acids

Epoxides of arachidonic acid generated by cytochrome P450 epoxygenases that have various regulatory actions.

Arousal

The intentional act of periodic brief awakening characteristic of hibernating animals, characterized by distinct physiological changes and states of activity, depending on species.

Translational research

The process of taking results from the laboratory and translating them into therapies for clinical use.