title: Effects of Tetramethylpyrazine on Functional Recovery and Neuronal Dendritic Plasticity after Experimental Stroke.
abstract: The 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) has been widely used in the treatment of ischemic stroke by Chinese doctors. Here, we report the effects of TMP on functional recovery and dendritic plasticity after ischemic stroke. A classical model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established in this study. The rats were assigned into 3 groups: sham group (sham operated rats treated with saline), model group (MCAO rats treated with saline) and TMP group (MCAO rats treated with 20 mg/kg/d TMP). The neurological function test of animals was evaluated using the modified neurological severity score (mNSS) at 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d after MCAO. Animals were euthanized for immunohistochemical labeling to measure MAP-2 levels in the peri-infarct area. Golgi-Cox staining was performed to test effect of TMP on dendritic plasticity at 14 d after MCAO. TMP significantly improved neurological function at 7 d and 14 d after ischemia, increased MAP-2 level at 14 d after ischemia, and enhanced spine density of basilar dendrites. TMP failed to affect the spine density of apical dendrites and the total dendritic length. Data analyses indicate that there was significant negative correlation between mNSS and plasticity measured at 14 d after MCAO. Thus, enhanced dendritic plasticity contributes to TMP-elicited functional recovery after ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China ; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Center of Brain Department, Hubei Xinhua Hospital, Wuhan 430015, China.
authors.forename: Chan-Juan
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Jing
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wan