In order to discern if the increased activity of MMP-9 and tPA that we see in the stroke EE group was due to changes in expression of respective ECM proteases, mRNA levels of Mmp9, as well as Adamts4, Tpa, and their inhibitors (respectively, Timp1, Timp3, and Neuroserpin) were studied by RT-qPCR (Fig. 6). This evidence concerns the gene TIMP1 and stroke disorder.