title: New goals in ischemic stroke therapy: the experimental approach--harmonizing science with practice.
abstract: Undeniable advances have been made in clinical and experimental investigation into the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of cerebral ischemia. However, with the exception of intravenous thrombolysis and some neuroprotectors, such as citicoline, the majority of the drugs successfully tested in experimental studies have failed in clinical trials. Valuable lessons for the improvement of research methodology and appropriate coordination of experimental and clinical research can be learnt from the analysis of discrepancies between the laboratory and clinic, which will allow us to increase the power and cost-effectiveness of the studies. In addition, this progress has opened the way for the investigation of very promising new therapeutic strategies, such as combined pharmacological and mechanical thrombolysis, thrombolysis and neuroprotection, or the combination of various neuroprotectors, antiapoptotic therapies, and neurorestoration therapies, such as stem cell transplants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. mariaalonsoleci@telefonica.net
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alonso de Leciñana
authors.forename: Exuperio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Díez-Tejedor
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carceller
authors.forename: Jose María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Roda
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research; D013045:Species Specificity; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy