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Characterization of ICP Behavior in an Experimental Model of Hemorrhagic Stroke in Rats
Danilo Augusto Cardim1, Raquel Araújo do Val da Silva2, Ana Carolina Cardim3
1Federal University of Sao Carlos, Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, PIPGCF. Rodovia Washington Luis, km 235, SP-310, CEP 13565-905, Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, Brazil. danilo.cardim@gmail.com.
Insights
This study monitored intracranial pressure (ICP) in a rat model of hemorrhagic stroke. ICP oscillations increased after blood injection, indicating altered brain pressure dynamics during simulated stroke.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Engineering
Background:
- Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is crucial for managing stroke complications like increased ICP.
- Elevated ICP can lead to severe neurological deficits, including dementia and cognitive impairment.
- Experimental models are vital for understanding ICP dynamics during hemorrhagic stroke.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate intracranial pressure (ICP) behavior during the induction of an experimental hemorrhagic stroke model in rats.
- To analyze changes in ICP frequency components following autologous blood injection.
- To correlate ICP changes with observed neuropathological alterations.
Main Methods:
- Induction of a hemorrhagic stroke model in rats via stereotactic surgery and autologous blood injection into the striatum.
- Continuous ICP monitoring throughout the stroke induction procedure.
- Analysis of ICP data using short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and histological examination of brain tissue.
Main Results:
- STFT analysis revealed significant oscillations in ICP frequency components after blood microinjection compared to baseline.
- Histological analysis confirmed neuropathological changes in the striatum of all animals subjected to blood infusion.
- The experimental model successfully simulated aspects of hemorrhagic stroke and ICP elevation.
Conclusions:
- Experimental hemorrhagic stroke induction in rats leads to measurable alterations in intracranial pressure dynamics.
- ICP monitoring combined with frequency analysis can detect changes associated with simulated stroke.
- This model provides a platform for further research into hemorrhagic stroke pathophysiology and ICP management.
Abstract:
Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is sometimes required in clinical pictures of stroke, as extensive intraparenchymal hematomas and intracranial bleeding may severely increase ICP, which can lead to irreversible conditions, such as dementia and cognitive derangement. ICP monitoring has been accepted as a procedure for the safe diagnosis of increased ICP, and for the treatment of intracranial hypertension in some diseases. In this work, we evaluated ICP behavior during the induction of an experimental model of autologous blood injection in rats, simulating a hemorrhagic stroke. Rats were subjected to stereotactic surgery for the implantation of a unilateral cannula into the left striatal region of the brain. Autologous blood was infused into the left striatal region with an automatic microinfusion pump. ICP monitoring was performed throughout the procedure of hemorrhagic stroke induction. Analyses consisted of short-time Fourier transform for ICP before and after stroke induction and the histological processing of the animals' brains. Short-time Fourier transform analysis demonstrated oscillations in the ICP frequency components throughout time after the microinjections compared with data before them. Histological analysis revealed neuropathological changes in the striatum in all microinjected animals.
