title: Pathophysiological rat model of vascular dementia: magnetic resonance spectroscopy, microimaging and behavioral study.
abstract: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and aging can be related to vascular dementia manifested by the decline in cognitive abilities and memory impairment. The identification of specific biomarkers of vascular disorder in early stages is important for the development of neuroprotective agents. In the present study, a three-vessel occlusion (3-VO) rat model of vascular dementia in the middle-aged rat brain was used to investigate the effect of global cerebral hypoperfusion. A multimodal study was performed using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, MR-microimaging, histology and behavioral tests. Our measurements showed a signal alteration in T2-weighted MR images, the elevation of T2 relaxation times and histologically proven neural cell death in the hippocampal area, as well as mild changes in concentration of proton and phosphorus metabolites. These changes were accompanied by mild behavioral alterations in the open field and slightly decreased habituation. The analysis of the effects of vascular pathology on cognitive functions and neurodegeneration can contribute to the development of new treatment strategies for early stages of neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galisova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baciak
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jozefovicova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia; High Field MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ivica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Just Kukurova
authors.affiliation: Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kebis
authors.affiliation: Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ambrusova
authors.affiliation: Slovak Academy of Science, Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubovicky
authors.affiliation: Slovak Academy of Science, Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Csaszarova
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Estera
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Hameln R.D.S., Modra, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sadlonova
authors.affiliation: High Field MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kronnerwetter
authors.affiliation: High Field MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: High Field MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: martin.krssak@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krššák
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Svatava
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasparova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016923:Cell Death; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D017208:Rats, Wistar
keywords: chronic cerebral hypoperfusion; magnetic resonance spectroscopy; microimaging; rat; vascular dementia