We found that although more CD68+ microglia/macrophages and reactive astrocytes were engulfing synapses in old mice in the peri-atrophic region and hippocampi ipsilateral to stroke injury than in young mice at a later stage of ischemic stroke, 10-fold more GFAP+ cells were detected in old hippocampi, both ipsilateral and contralateral sides, than CD68+ cells. The gene discussed is GFAP; the disease is ischemic stroke.