An inquiry into the seasonal nature of cerebrovascular disease.
An overview of the stroke literature indicates that cerebrovascular accidents (C VA) occur more often during the winter months relative to any other time of the year. Part I of this review presents a retrospection of previous research attempting to link CVA occurrence with the seasons. Part II discusses circadian and circannual rhythms in relation to health and general physiology, and in particular the relation of serotoninergic systems to these rhythms. Part III presents a discussion of how seasonal CVAs may be interpreted in terms of the current knowledge concerning circannual and circadian rhythms. These underlying rhythms may help to better understand research dealing with stroke and stroke pathologies, as well as aid in the design of more realistic protocols.
Neuroscience Research Institute, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
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Vinall