IALH Research Fellow Brian R. Christie has published a new research article entitled Examining a role for irisin in treating cerebral ischemia. Collaborating authors include Jack Bayfield and Hanna R. Elford. The article was published in Journal of Neurophysiology.
Abstract:
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, with ischemic stroke representing most cases. Age is the most significant non-modifiable risk factor for stroke, and with an aging population there is an urgent need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. Physical inactivity is a strong risk factor for stroke, and exercise has long been held as a promising approach to improve post-stroke outcomes. During exercise, the myokine irisin is released as a product of a type 1 membrane protein cleavage that is encoded by the fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5) gene. This review summarizes recent literature on irisin’s role in ischemic stroke, examining central effects, stroke risk, post-stroke functional outcomes, and exogenous administration. Irisin has value as a prognostic marker for risk stratification. Low levels of irisin correlate with worse outcomes and higher mortality in ischemic stroke patients. Irisin may also be a key to the benefits of exercise, particularly for high-intensity resistance training, which significantly increases irisin levels. Beyond exercise, exogenous irisin is neuroprotective in murine models, reducing brain edema, inflammation, and apoptosis, and increasing blood-brain barrier integrity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. This underscores irisin’s potential to mitigate ischemic damage and promote recovery. Human trials are necessary to validate these findings and explore the feasibility of irisin-based interventions in acute stroke care. This review lays a foundation for future research to clarify irisin’s therapeutic benefits, establish optimal exercise protocols, and explore exogenous irisin as a novel intervention for ischemic stroke.
To read the full article, see https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00027.2025