L. Creed Pettigrew, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Commonwealth Center of Excellence in Stroke, Professor of Neurology and Surgery (Neurosurgery)/Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, with a joint appointment at the Graduate Center for Toxicology.

Anand G. Vaishnav, M.D., Medical Director, University Hospital Stroke Center and Assistant Professor of Neurology/Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.

Lee Xenakis Blonder, Ph.D., Professor of Behavioral Science, Anthropology, and Neurology/Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.

"Last weekend I took care of a 23-year-old woman with an acute, disabling stroke—the unwanted surprise of her life," Creed Pettigrew says, as he talks about his work. "Stroke is not simply an older person in a wheelchair who can't move one side of his body."

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The University of Kentucky is battling stroke, and devastating after-effects like dementia and language problems, on a number of fronts. Pettigrew and his colleague Anand Vaishnav are finding out if aspirin, a prescription blood thinner, and rigorous blood pressure control will prevent future strokes more effectively than aspirin alone. Pettigrew just wrapped up a study on the role of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 in preventing second strokes and first-time heart attacks. And Lee Blonder is analyzing videotapes to see if targeted language therapy can help stroke patients improve language skills or re-energize the emotional content of their speech.

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