[Study on changes of neuron apoptosis after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in the aged rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study ultrastructured change and neuron apoptosis after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in the aged rats.


METHODS
The aged SD rats (20-21 months) and the young (4-5 months) were subjected to 3 hours of middle cerebral artery occulsion with the intraluminal filament technique, followed by reperfusion for 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours. The ultrastructure of brain, infarct zone and neuron apoptosis were observed.


RESULTS
The cerebral infarct zone increased in the aged rats with ischemia for 3 hours and I/R for 12 hours compared with those in the young. The brain injury was obviously deteriorated with I/R time longer, which was serious in the aged than that in the young. The neuron apoptosis increase with I/R time longer, and showed earlier and lasted longer in the aged.


CONCLUSIONS
The cerebral injury is serious and neuron apoptosis increase shows early and lasts longer.
Geriatrics Department of Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450003, Henan, China.
Jian-sheng
JS
Li
Xiao-qiao
XQ
Ren
Ke
K
Liu
Zheng-guo
ZG
Liu
Ling-fei
LF
Kong
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*