Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with serious complications, including embolic strokes, heart failure, and mortality. Disruption of normal blood flow in the atrium, particularly in the context of an endocardium predisposed to thrombosis, increases the risk of thrombus formation. Once dislodged from the atrial cavity and traveling to the cerebral arteries, these thrombi can cause a cardioembolic stroke. The main risk factors for atrial cardiomyopathy (ACM) and AF are metabolic syndrome and aging.
ACM is a condition that is difficult to diagnose because it is not clearly defined, except through histological analysis. Guided by the results of our experimental approaches, the investigators aim to address this challenge by examining ACM through the lens of one of its complications: cardioembolic stroke. BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is a neurotrophic factor involved in inflammatory and metabolic processes that may play a key role in the development of these complications.
This study explores the association between circulating levels of BDNF and the morphological and metabolic characteristics of ACM, as assessed by cardiac and brain imaging studies