Association of Pericyte Loss With Microthrombosis After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in ApoE-Deficient Mice

Causes of Hemorrhagic Stroke: a Cellular Perspective

Hemorrhagic stroke (HS) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Unfortunately, there are no effective treatments for HS currently, partially due to an incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology of this devastating disease. Here, we describe potential causes of HS in a cell-specific manner. Specifically, we summarize defects in brain endothelial cells (BECs), pericytes, vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs), and astrocytes that may directly or indirectly cause rupture of cerebral blood vessels. Next, key questions that need to be answered in future studies are discussed. We aim to provide a cellular perspective on the causes of HS.

Microclots in subarachnoid hemorrhage: an underestimated factor in delayed cerebral ischemia?

Subarachnoid hemorrhage has a poor prognosis due to the wide array of associated complications such as vasospasm, early brain injury, cortical spreading depression, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Each of these complications increases the risk of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), but recent research has suggested microclots play a substantial role in DCI incidence. This review will focus on the underlying inflammatory and coagulative mechanisms of microthrombosis while also outlining the current literature relating microclot burden to DCI. With a better understanding DCI pathophysiology as it relates to microthrombosis, more effective therapies can be developed in the future to improve clinical outcomes of SAH.