Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026
Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Model of Stroke
Published on: August 11, 2023
Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats as an experimental model of brain ischemia
Renato Luis Calloni1, Bruno Costamilam Winkler, Guilherme Ricci
1Department of Clinical Surgery, UCS, Caxias do Sul, Brazil. rcalloni@terra.com.br
Purpose:
To assess a rat model of cerebral ischemia induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery and its effect on the area of cerebral infarction.
Methods:
Brain ischemia was induced in 52 male Wistar rats by introduction of a 3-0 nylon suture into the middle cerebral artery for either 90 (n=28) or 120 (n=24) minutes. Ischemic injury volume was determined by TTC staining, digital photography and analysis with the Image J software. Statistical analysis employed Student's t test and the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results:
The groups were similar in terms of weight (p=0.59). The length of thread inserted was 14.7 mm in the 90 min group and 20.2 mm in the 120 min group (p=0.37). Ischemic injury was detected in 11 animals (39%) after 90 min and 11 (45%) after 120 min (p=0.77). In animals exhibiting injury, filament length was 16.1 ± 11 mm (90 min) vs. 21.9 ± 7.4 mm (120 min) (p=0.15). The mean infarction zone volume was greater after 120 (259.2 mm³) than after 90 min (162.9 mm³) (p=0.04). The neurological deficit score for the 90 and 120 min groups was 2.0 and 2.4, respectively (p=0.84).
Conclusion:
The experimental model induced significant ischemic cerebral injury in both groups.
Insights
This study validates a rat model for middle cerebral artery occlusion, showing longer occlusion times lead to larger cerebral infarction volumes. This model is effective for studying ischemic stroke effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Experimental Neurology
- Stroke Research
Background:
- Cerebral ischemia, often caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion, is a leading cause of stroke.
- Developing reliable animal models is crucial for understanding ischemic brain injury and testing therapeutic interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a rat model of cerebral ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion.
- To determine the impact of occlusion duration on the resulting cerebral infarction volume.
Main Methods:
- Male Wistar rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion for 90 or 120 minutes using a nylon suture.
- Cerebral infarction volume was quantified using 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and digital image analysis.
- Statistical comparisons included Student's t test and Mann-Whitney U test.
Main Results:
- Both 90-minute and 120-minute occlusion periods successfully induced cerebral ischemia.
- The mean infarction volume was significantly larger in the 120-minute occlusion group (259.2 mm³) compared to the 90-minute group (162.9 mm³).
- Neurological deficit scores were comparable between the two groups.
Conclusions:
- The established rat model effectively induces significant ischemic cerebral injury.
- Occlusion duration is a critical factor influencing the extent of cerebral infarction in this model.
