Inhibition of Tnf-α R1 signaling can rescue functional cortical plasticity impaired in early post-stroke period

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is one of the key players in stroke progression and can interfere with brain functioning. We previously documented an impairment of experience-dependent plasticity in the cortex neighboring the stroke-induced lesion, which was accompanied with an upregulation of Tnf-α level in the brain of ischemic mice 1 week after the stroke. Because TNF receptor 1 (TnfR1) signaling is believed to be a major mediator of the...