How tPA, which helps dissolve blood clots, can lessen the severity of a stroke

An estimated 2 million brain cells die each minute a stroke goes untreated

Modern stroke treatment is a delicate balance between obtaining an accurate diagnosis and delivering treatment quickly. Each stroke has its own cause, and the appropriate treatment must be paired with the correct diagnosis to prevent further harm. Typical treatments pair emergency surgery to relieve the affected area and long-term regimens to avoid recurrence.

'FAST': An acronym to remember stroke symptoms to look for

The primary factor in surviving a stroke is how quickly one gets the appropriate medical treatment. “FAST” refers to the four most noticeable symptoms of a stroke: face-dropping ("F"), arm weakness ("A"), speech difficulty ("S"), and "time to call 911" ("T").

Medical recognition of strokes stretches back to ancient Greece

Every minute, 750 milliliters of blood flows to the brain, supplying 20% of the body’s oxygen. A sudden disruption—whether from a clot (ischemic stroke) or a bleed (hemorrhagic stroke)—can be life-threatening. From ancient Greek theories to modern CT and MRI scans, here’s how stroke science has evolved over time.

Someone suffers from a stroke every 40 seconds

Every 40 seconds, someone in the US experiences a stroke—and every minute without treatment destroys millions of brain cells. This explainer breaks down the two main types of strokes, their risk factors, and how early detection could change outcomes in the future.

A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted, either by a blockage (ischemic stroke) or bleeding when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and bleeds (hemorrhagic stroke).

Hemorrhagic strokes make up roughly 13% of stroke events

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a faulty blood vessel within the brain bleeds. Though this is less common than an ischemic stroke, it is often far more deadly. This in-depth resource from the American Stroke Association provides a comprehensive overview of the two main subtypes of hemorrhagic stroke along with a useful animation of the condition.

Visualize a stroke at the microscopic level.

A brain scientist's experience with a stroke

What happens when a leading brain scientist has a stroke of her own? Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor recounts moment by moment watching her brain function slow and then cease, followed by a prolonged recovery. Through this experience, she details what she learned about the phenomenon of stroke and how it has impacted her research ever since.

Using AI to restore speech 30 years after a stroke

Through a novel surgical procedure involving electrodes implanted in the brain, along with the help of artificial intelligence, a stroke patient is regaining her ability to speak. This technology converts her thoughts into speech through a digital avatar, allowing her to verbally express herself for the first time in decades.

"Plaques" and "tangles" are top potential causes of Alzheimer's—but questions remain

The exact causes of Alzheimer's—and how to treat it—continue to be the subject of intense research. Two leading factors are amyloid beta plaques and tau protein tangles, which effectively pile up in the brain and interfere with neurons and cause cell death, which manifests as memory loss and other symptoms.

Left versus right brain strokes vary significantly in long-term effects

Due to the high complexity of the brain, the aftereffects of a stroke can have widely different manifestations, ranging from minor temporary impairments to rapid death. Whether a stroke results in paralysis, speech impairments, loss of bodily function, or death will depend on whether it occurs in the left or right hemispheres or the brain stem.

Flossing may lower the risk of strokes

Flossing is known to advance teeth and gum health, but it also betters one’s brain and heart health. According to data from the American Heart Association, taking care of your teeth has cardiovascular benefits. A recent study showed that regular flossers experienced lower risks of strokes, highlighting a link between oral bacteria and stroke risk.

Stem cell therapy has shown promise in treating spinal injuries in an early-stage clinical trial.

Blood clotting is critical to maintaining life, but dysfunctional clots can be fatal.

Pig brain cellular activity was restarted hours after death in study published in 2019

Yale University scientists restored basic cellular activity and circulatory function in pig brains about four hours after death with a synthetic cocktail of preservatives and nutrients. This work— which didn't restart electricity activity in the brain or consciousness—could help advance future human stroke and brain injury treatments.

Genetic blood test offers an estimated clock on when Alzheimer's symptoms may appear

The 2026 research finding from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis—if validated in broader populations—suggests that an already available blood test could estimate when Alzheimer's symptoms may begin within a margin of several years. The test detects a protein called p-tau217 found in blood plasma and the researchers incorporated the findings from that blood test into a statistical model to come up with the symptom timeline predictions.

Stroke risk doubles each decade after age 55

While age is the greatest risk factor, genetics, diet, and overall health play a prominent role in determining individual stroke risk. Prevention focuses heavily on modifiable risk factors. High blood pressure is the single most important controllable risk factor, contributing to both types of stroke.

Take a quiz to discover your brain care score

Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke. With such a high occurrence rate, you may be asking yourself what you could do now to prevent a future stroke. Researchers at Harvard collaborated to answer this question by coming up with a "Brain Care" scoring system. Take the quiz to learn the quality of your brain health today and pick up helpful insights to lower your risk of stroke and dementia well into the future.

Early-onset Alzheimer's can appear as early as age 30, but estimates of its prevalence remain uncertain.

Why vascular dementia develops

This type of dementia, the second most common form after Alzheimer's, develops due to microscopic bleeds and blood vessel blockages in the brain. The condition isn't curable but medications to help with blood clotting and high blood pressure are part of a suite of interventions designed to minimize damage to the brain.

Statins lower your cholesterol, a fatty substance made by the liver, by limiting buildup in the arteries and reducing the risk of deposits breaking off, reducing both heart attack and stroke risks.

Open brain surgery is not required for BCIs inserted via blood vessel injection

Synchron's brain-computer interface, the Synchron Switch, takes advantage of preexisting medical devices, such as stents and catheters. Cells grow over the device over a 90-day period, incorporating it into the vessel wall and minimizing clots.

Untreated malaria can lead to blocked blood vessels in the brain, coma, and organ failure.

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of brain death—and TBIs are trending up

Traumatic brain injury-related deaths have generally increased between 2000 and 2023, growing from roughly 49,000 to more than 68,000 in 2023. Firearm-related suicide is the most common cause of TBI-related deaths in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People also experience TBIs from falls, motor vehicle crashes, or assaults.

More than 200 drug trials for Alzheimer's have failed or been abandoned since 2010, but two anti-amyloid infusion medications have netted FDA approval in recent years.

Can brain scans help with processing trauma?

MRIs and brain monitoring therapies are becoming increasingly popular for those looking to process trauma and address mental health conditions, including PTSD and depression. This article details how these therapies quantify mental health, giving users another way to measure and manage their mental and emotional needs through brain mapping and other methods.

Most flu cases are treated at home, but antivirals help high-risk patients

Rest, fluids and common medicines usually ease influenza symptoms. For people at higher risk of complications, doctors may prescribe antiviral drugs, which work best when started soon after symptoms begin.

Commonly referred to as the 'bank bailout,' the Troubled Asset Relief Program disbursed $443B in an attempt to keep the financial system solvent.

There's no cure for tinnitus, but sometimes it goes away on its own

Though there's no cure, treatments and management approaches can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Hearing aids, sound generators, and other steps can help some people with this condition. But sometimes tinnitus resolves within hours or days for reasons that remain unclear.

Heart attacks are less harmful at night

When heart attacks occur during the day they typically do more harm to the heart tissue than if they occur at night. A 2025 study suggests that daytime heart attacks have higher levels of immune cells called neutrophils to contend with and they appear to worsen the injury. Scientists confirmed this same pattern in experiments with mice. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Photodynamic therapy is one current treatment for age-related macular degeneration.

Tumor genetic profiling can lead to targeted treatments

Genetic profiling of tumors—based on a sample from the tumor, a patient's blood, or both—can help clinicians determine if targeted therapies known to block the growth of certain types of tumors would be appropriate for specific patients.

Research advances suggest death takes much longer than we realized

Recent research indicates that organs, including the brain, are better at handling a lack of oxygen after the heart stops beating than previously known. Such findings may open up possibilities that include someday reversing certain death processes and expanding the availability of organs available for organ donations. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Without the option of modern blood transfusions, some doctors in the mid-1800s tried to help save cholera patients by injecting them with cow's milk, hoping it would boost their nutrition and hydration.

‘Hope for Healing’: The first-ever use of an in utero stem cell treatment

In 2023, researchers at UC Davis performed the first-ever fetal stem cell transplant, attempting to cure a case of spinal bifida prior to childbirth using stem cells derived from the placenta. The trial, and others including an effort to treat muscular dystrophy, highlight the potential power of stem cell therapy.

Four in 10 CPR patients report consciousness not captured by standard measures.

Pulsatile tinnitus is when you hear thumping synchronized with your heartbeat

This rare type of tinnitus, which sounds like rhythmic thumping or whooshing, is often linked to blood vessel conditions or high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure through exercise and food choices can help reduce the severity of this condition.

The 'Armamentarium' is a set of new gene therapy tools—including viruses that could shuttle therapies into the body—designed to fight brain diseases.

Deep brain stimulation helps manage movement in patients with neurological disorders

DBS is a surgical procedure that uses implanted electrodes to send electrical signals to targeted areas in the brain, interrupting abnormal neural activity. It may be implemented when medications lose effectiveness or cause disruptive side effects.

Scientists are reevaluating the causes of Alzheimer's beyond the amyloid hypothesis after numerous experimental drugs designed to target that theory have failed.

Face and neck massages improve the removal of brain cell waste products in mice

A study identified that massaging mice and monkeys' faces and necks enhanced the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. Because CSF has been shown to flush out proteins linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, the research hints at non-invasive treatments to reduce the severity of these diseases.

New drugs called Gepants have been shown to improve the quality of life of many sufferers.

Journalist Eva Wiseman has had migraines since childhood. Beginning with a yawn they segue into visual auras before turning into severe pain. As it so happened, she experienced a migraine during the course of her interview with Dr. Peter Goadsby, a pioneer in understanding and treating migraines as well as getting the world to treat them seriously.

In 2015, the FDA approved the first 3D-printed prescription tablet

Spritam, an epilepsy medication, had been too large and difficult to swallow, particularly due to its inability to dissolve easily. The new pill was designed with porous layers to enhance its dissolvability, paving the way for future 3D printing of drugs.

A new type of immunotherapy focuses on healthy cells hijacked by tumors

Purdue University scientists are at work on a new cancer treatment that attacks immune system cells that feed and protect cancer cells rather than attacking them. The immunotherapy process promises to become a universal treatment for solid tumors. Thus far, the treatment has been tested and shown to work on human tumor cells in the laboratory and animal models.

Donated hearts remain viable three times longer now with new tech

Advances in organ perfusion systems have significantly lengthened the amount of time donated hearts can remain viable for transplant, expanding the possibilities for donor organs to wider geographic areas. "Heart in a box" devices, developed in recent years, enable effective oxygen flow in the donor heart during transport, which means that hearts can now travel farther to potential recipients and still be in good condition.

Research shows that microplastics and nanoplastics can accumulate in major arteries, and patients with these deposits are significantly more likely to suffer heart attacks, strokes, or death.

MS Drugs reduce inflammation, helping reduce relapses and slow disease progression

Disease-Modifying Drugs calm the body's inflammatory response to help stave off relapses—when new or existing MS symptoms show up for a day or longer. Avoiding smoking, exercising, reducing stress via mindfulness, checking for vitamin D deficiencies, drinking more water and eating well, all can slow disease progression. [The jury's still out on if HRT around the time of menopause may reduce dementia risk](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(25)00122-9/fulltext) Estrogen can reduce inflammation and support neural growth in the brain, and some research has suggested that beginning hormone replacement therapy around menopause—versus later in life—reduces Alzheimer's disease risk. Still, a recent systematic review concluded that taking HRT didn't affect dementia risk, regardless of when women started taking it, so the science remains unsettled.

Exercise improves brain blood flow, stimulates neural growth, and more.

See how CAR-T cell therapy works to help fight cancer

Short for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, CAR-T Cell Therapy helps augment the body's own ability to attack cancer cells. It's a cell-based gene therapy that alters the genes in a person's T cells—which are a type of immune cell—to help them beat back cancerous growths.

Peptide TB-500, promoted for regenerative healing, is not FDA approved

Watch a board-certified sports medicine therapist detail his thinking about this synthetic peptide; he says it's "promising but unproven." He notes that this product is designed to mimic the natural protein thymosin beta-4, found in human and animal tissues, which promotes wound healing. TB-500 is classified as a research peptide for recovery, meaning it's not approved for human use and has not yet undergone rigorous human trials on its safety and efficacy.