title: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion induces vascular plasticity and hemodynamics but also neuronal degeneration and cognitive impairment.
abstract: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) induces cognitive impairment, but the compensative mechanism of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is not fully understood. The present study mainly investigated dynamic changes in CBF, angiogenesis, and cellular pathology in the cortex, the striatum, and the cerebellum, and also studied cognitive impairment of rats induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, immunochemistry, and Morris water maze were employed to the study. The CBF of the cortex, striatum, and cerebellum dramatically decreased after right common carotid artery occlusion (RCCAO), and remained lower level at 2 weeks after BCCAO. It returned to the sham level from 3 to 6 weeks companied by the dilation of vertebral arteries after BCCAO. The number of microvessels declined at 2, 3, and 4 weeks but increased at 6 weeks after BCCAO. Neuronal degeneration occurred in the cortex and striatum from 2 to 6 weeks, but the number of glial cells dramatically increased at 4 weeks after BCCAO. Cognitive impairment of ischemic rats was directly related to ischemic duration. Our results suggest that CCH induces a compensative mechanism attempting to maintain optimal CBF to the brain. However, this limited compensation cannot prevent neuronal loss and cognitive impairment after permanent ischemia.
authors: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Jing
authors: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Changzheng
authors: C
authors: Shi
authors: GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration (GHMICR), Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Lihui
authors: L
authors: Zhu
authors: GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration (GHMICR), Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Yonghui
authors: Y
authors: Xiang
authors: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Peihao
authors: P
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Zhilin
authors: Z
authors: Xiong
authors: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Wenxian
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: 1] GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration (GHMICR), Jinan University, Guangzhou, China [2] Department of Human Anatomy, Jinan University School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China [3] Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China.
authors: Yiwen
authors: Y
authors: Ruan
authors: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Li'an
authors: L
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar