title: Comparison of cognitive performance between two rat models of vascular dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An ideal animal model to explore that pathogenesis and prevention of dementia is essential. The present study was designed to compare the difference of behavior and cerebral blood flow of the two vascular dementia rat models at different time intervals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rats were randomly allocated to three groups: bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) group, thromboembolism (TE) group and sham-operated (SHAM) group. The performance in the Morris water maze (MWM) was analyzed at 7, 14 and 28 d after operation and cerebral blood flow (CBF) was analyzed at 28 days after operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the two models exhibited longer latency, less times to crossing platform in MWM and lower CBF than the SHAM rats. Compared with the TE rats, the BCCAO rats have a significant prolongation of escape latency at 7 days and 28 days. In the probe trial, the BCCAO rats showed less number of times across the platform.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BCCAO rats maybe provide a more useful model to study the physiopathological mechanisms of cognitive impairment related to chronic cerebral ischemia.
authors.affiliation: 1Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang-Xia
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Qian-Qian
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jing-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Cun-Zhi
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002341:Carotid Artery Thrombosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Morris water maze; bilateral common carotid artery occlusion; learning and memory; thromboembolism