An experimental model of cerebral venous hypertension in the rat

Several means of establishing a useful experimental model of cerebral venous hypertension were examined in rats. Retrograde embolization with an autologous blood clot passed through a catheter inserted in an external jugular vein, combined with ligation of the contralateral external jugular vein, was found to produce consistent, sustained cerebral venous hypertension. This model has the advantages of being technically easy to prepare, well tolerated by the animals, and suitable for autoradiographic and/or histochemical assessment of regional circulation and metabolism.