The progression of classical ischemic stroke involves excitotoxicity, ROS production, inflammation, and tissue infarction. Preconditioning, specifically with exercise, helps reduce the typical deleterious effects of stroke. This includes improved blood flow (to the region of infarct) as well as upregulation of certain cellular pathways involved in glutamate transport to minimize the effects of excitotoxicity.
ROS, reactive oxygen species; EAAT 2, excitatory amino acid transporter; ERK1/2, extracellular signal-regulated kinases; HSP-70, heat shock protein 70; GLT-1, glutamate transporter 1.