Protective effect of the glutamate antagonist, MK-801 in focal cerebral ischemia in the cat.
The effects of the glutamate N-methyl-D aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, MK-801, upon ischemic brain damage has been examined in anesthetized cats. Focal cerebral ischemia was produced by permanent occlusion of one middle cerebral artery and the animal were killed 6 h later. The amount of early ischemic damage was assessed in coronal sections at 16 predetermined stereotactic planes. Pretreatment with MK-801 (5 mg/kg, i.v.), 30 min before occlusion of the middle cerebral artery significantly reduced the volume of ischemic damage (from 32.7 +/- 4.0% of the cerebral hemisphere in vehicle-treated cats to 16.2 +/- 4.5% in MK-801-treated cats). NMDA receptor antagonists that penetrate the blood-brain barrier, such as MK-801, merit further study as protective agents against ischemic brain damage.
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000473:pathology; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000187:drug effects
D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate