Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor treatment results in recovery of motor function after white matter damage in mice.

Clinical stroke usually results from a cerebral ischaemic event, and is frequently a debilitating condition with limited treatment options. A significant proportion of clinical strokes result from specific damage to the subcortical white matter (SWM), but currently there are few animal models available to investigate the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies to promote recovery. Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a cytokine that has been previously shown to promote neuroprotective effects after brain damage; however, the mechanisms mediating this effect are not known.