GHRP-6 · research summary

Ghrelin promotes neurologic recovery and neurogenesis in the chronic phase after experimental stroke.

Neurological research and practice · 2025. Summary drawn from the study's full text. Each statement is followed by the exact sentence it comes from. This is a research summary, not medical advice.

Study type

Translational animal study investigating the effects of ghrelin on acute and long-term recovery after experimental ischemic stroke.
“The aim of this study was therefore to close and extend this knowledge gap. To this end, we investigated the effect of ghrelin in two different translational animal models, one investigating acute and one investigating long-term structural and functional recovery after experimental stroke.”

Subjects

Adult male Wistar rats.
“Adult (12–13 weeks of age, n = 65) male Wistar rats were used for all experiments.”

Sample size

65 adult male Wistar rats and 11 sham-operated controls.
“Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) or photothrombotic stroke was induced in 65 adult male Wistar rats. Eleven sham-operated animals served as controls.”

Duration

Up to four weeks after ischemia.
“Up to four weeks after ischemia, behavioral tests such as the cylinder test, the tape removal test, and the rotarod test were performed to examine sensorimotor deficits, and the Morris water maze was performed to examine effects on the acquisition and consolidation of new memories.”

Reported findings

Ghrelin treatment improved motor and somatosensory functions and preserved the consolidation of new memories after photothrombotic stroke.
“Ghrelin treatment improved motor and somatosensory functions and preserved the consolidation of new memories after photothrombotic stroke.”
Long-term survival and sustained proliferation of neuronal cells after stroke was significantly increased in ghrelin-treated rats, while angiogenesis remained unaffected.
“As a structural correlate, long-term survival and sustained proliferation of neuronal cells after stroke was significantly increased in ghrelin-treated rats, while angiogenesis remained unaffected.”
Ghrelin did not induce immediate neuroprotective effects after MCAO.
“In contrast to these neuroregenerative mechanisms, ghrelin did not induce immediate neuroprotective effects after MCAO.”

Source: PubMed 40025613 · DOI 10.1186/s42466-025-00371-6 · all study summaries

Study type

Translational animal study investigating the effects of ghrelin on acute and long-term recovery after experimental ischemic stroke.

“The aim of this study was therefore to close and extend this knowledge gap. To this end, we investigated the effect of ghrelin in two different translational animal models, one investigating acute and one investigating long-term structural and functional recovery after experimental stroke.”

Duration

Up to four weeks after ischemia.

“Up to four weeks after ischemia, behavioral tests such as the cylinder test, the tape removal test, and the rotarod test were performed to examine sensorimotor deficits, and the Morris water maze was performed to examine effects on the acquisition and consolidation of new memories.”

Reported findings

Ghrelin treatment improved motor and somatosensory functions and preserved the consolidation of new memories after photothrombotic stroke.

“Ghrelin treatment improved motor and somatosensory functions and preserved the consolidation of new memories after photothrombotic stroke.”

Long-term survival and sustained proliferation of neuronal cells after stroke was significantly increased in ghrelin-treated rats, while angiogenesis remained unaffected.

“As a structural correlate, long-term survival and sustained proliferation of neuronal cells after stroke was significantly increased in ghrelin-treated rats, while angiogenesis remained unaffected.”

Ghrelin did not induce immediate neuroprotective effects after MCAO.

“In contrast to these neuroregenerative mechanisms, ghrelin did not induce immediate neuroprotective effects after MCAO.”