GFAP and Stroke: Post-stroke saline-treated animals displayed a threefold higher serum level of GFAP (12.52 ± 3.11 ng/ml) as compared to post-stroke NaB-treated group (4.62 ± 0.84 ng/ml, n = 6, p = 0.0175, two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison) at 2 days, indicating NaB treatment attenuated BBB disruption (Fig. 4a).