Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow in the Postischemic Period

Experiments on Wistar rats showed that blood flow in the cortex and subcortical brain structures was not completely restored within 21 days after transient ischemia caused by bilateral carotid artery occlusion with controlled hypotension. After 7 days of reinfusion, the end-diastolic blood flow velocity increases with simultaneous decrease in pulsation index, which indicates the decrease in peripheral vascular resistance. During the following 14 days, peripheral blood resistance increases, as was seen from the increased peak systolic blood flow velocity, mean blood flow velocity over the heart cycle, and pulsation index. These changes are likely a delayed manifestation of ischemic reperfusion injury to brain microvessels (no-reflow phenomenon) and are determined by changes in blood rheologiy and pial vessel lumen.