Pre-ischemic depletion of brain norepinephrine decreases infarct size in normothermic rats exposed to transient focal cerebral ischemia.
This study examined the importance of brain norepinephrine concentration on outcome from a focal ischemic insult. Fasted temperature-controlled male Wistar rats pretreated with DSP-4, (N-(chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine), to selectively deplete brain norepinephrine, were subjected to reversible filament occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 75 min in the awake state. After 3 days recovery, total infarct volume in DSP-4 treated rats (185 +/- 107 mm3) was reduced vs. untreated control animals (242 +/- 71 mm3, P = 0.04). Subcortical infarct volume was also smaller in the DSP-4 group (93 +/- 44 vs. 121 +/- 28 mm3, P = 0.02). Cortical infarct volume was not statistically different between groups. Neurologic function correlated with infarct-size. These findings suggest that brain norepinephrine affects stroke development either by direct neuronal toxicity and/or through influences on the penumbral circulation. Dampening of the central stress response induced by the onset of stroke may thus be advantageous.
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- Rats, Wistar
- Rats
- Norepinephrine
- Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors
- Male
- Ischemic Preconditioning
- Ischemic Attack, Transient
- Epinephrine
- Cerebral Infarction
- Brain
Citation
Published In
DOI
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Rats, Wistar
- Rats
- Norepinephrine
- Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors
- Male
- Ischemic Preconditioning
- Ischemic Attack, Transient
- Epinephrine
- Cerebral Infarction
- Brain