Research progress in systemic complications induced by autonomic dysfunction after acute ischemic stroke

Abstract

Cerebrovascular diseases pose a serious threat to human health. According to the latest epidemiological data, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability among adults worldwide. Acute ischemic stroke (AIS), which is caused by local circulatory disorders in the brain, accounts for over 80% of all strokes and is the most common type of stroke. Due to extensive damage to the cerebral cortex or direct involvement of the autonomic nerve centers and pathways caused by AIS, the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems is disturbed (with a predominance of sympathetic activation). Therefore, the organs targeted by the downstream pathways of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are affected by the neurotransmitters they secrete, resulting in a range of systemic complications (such as cardiac complications, stroke-related infections, gastrointestinal complications, acute kidney injury, metabolic changes, and sexual dysfunction). These systemic pathological changes, in turn, affect the progression of AIS, thereby exacerbating brain damage or directly leading to patient death. Treatments targeting imbalances in the autonomic nervous system may play a role in reducing complications and improving the prognosis of AIS. This article reviews the systemic effects of autonomic dysfunction following AIS and its mechanisms, providing insights for the treatment of AIS and intervention of systemic complications.

Keywords

• acute ischemic stroke (ais)
• autonomic nervous system
• complication
• sympathetic nervous system (sns)
• parasympathetic nervous system (pns)