Semax in acute hemispheric ischemic stroke
PubMed
TL;DR
In an older controlled stroke study, adding intranasal Semax to intensive treatment was associated with faster recovery of neurological function than conventional therapy alone.
Controlled clinical study · 110 patients
What was studied
The question.
Whether Semax could improve neurological recovery during the acute period after hemispheric ischemic stroke.
How it was conducted
The study design.
Thirty patients received Semax as part of intensive therapy and were compared with 80 patients with strokes of similar severity and location receiving conventional therapy. Clinical rating scales, EEG mapping and somatosensory evoked potentials were used to follow recovery.
What it found
Did it actually work?
- The Semax group showed faster regression of general cerebral and focal neurological deficits, particularly motor problems.
- The study also reported EEG and evoked-potential changes consistent with functional recovery.
Why it matters
How to read this result.
This is one of the more directly clinical pieces of Semax evidence and helps explain why Semax is discussed as a neurorecovery peptide rather than only as a nootropic.
Keep in mind
What the study does not prove.
- The study is from 1997 and was published in Russian.
- It was not reported to the standard expected from a modern large multicenter pivotal trial.
- The result does not establish benefit for healthy-person cognitive enhancement.
Original source
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We summarize the study here first. The original source is there when you want the full methods, statistics, tables and author discussion.
Read the journal article