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A Preclinical Model to Assess Brain Recovery After Acute Stroke in Rats
Published on: November 6, 2019
Assessing cognitive function after intracerebral hemorrhage in rats.
Crystal L MacLellan1, Kristopher D Langdon, Kayla P Churchill
1Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada A1B 3V6. cmaclell@mun.ca
Behavioural Brain Research
|December 2, 2008
Summary
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats did not cause lasting cognitive deficits, suggesting current rodent models may not accurately reflect human brain injury outcomes. New models are needed to study ICH therapies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Preclinical Research
Background:
- Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) causes significant motor and cognitive deficits in humans.
- Rodent models are crucial for evaluating therapies for brain injury.
- Cognitive function has not been comprehensively evaluated in rodent ICH models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether a striatal intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats leads to cognitive impairments.
- To assess the utility of common cognitive tests in a rodent ICH model.
Main Methods:
- Rats underwent striatal ICH induced by bacterial collagenase or SHAM surgery.
- Neurological deficit scale (NDS) assessed motor function initially.
- Cognitive testing (spontaneous alternation, elevated plus maze, open-field, Morris water maze, T-maze, radial arm maze) commenced one month post-ICH after motor deficits resolved.
Main Results:
- Motor deficits observed at 2 days post-ICH fully resolved by 1 month.
- No significant learning or memory deficits were detected in rats 1-7 months after ICH.
- The cognitive tests used were not sensitive to the ICH-induced brain injury in this model.
Conclusions:
- The current rat model of striatal ICH does not produce persistent cognitive deficits.
- Existing cognitive tests may be unsuitable for assessing outcomes in this specific ICH model.
- Development of more clinically relevant rodent ICH models is necessary to better study human brain injury and potential treatments.
