Model of global forebrain ischemia in the unanesthetized rat

Global forebrain ischemia was induced in unanesthetized rats by electrocauterization of the vertebral arteries and transient occlusion of the common carotid arteries for 30 minutes. Local cerebral blood flow (l-CBF), cortical tissular pO2 (tpO2), electrocorticogram (ECoG), mean arterial pressure, pH and blood gas determinations and neurologic deficit were evaluated during and after ischemia. Cerebral ischemia induced a substantial decrease in l-CBF and tpO2 and the ECoG was flattened. One hour after ischemia, the neurologic deficit was at its maximum, l-CBF was still decreased and ECoG depressed. Twenty-four hours later, the neurologic deficit was still present but ECoG, l-CBF and tpO2 had returned to their preischemic values. Treatments with naloxone were performed during, after or during and after ischemia. When naloxone was administered during or after ischemia, postischemic neurologic deficit was not influenced by the treatment. A slight but significant improvement of the neurologic score was observed when naloxone was injected during ischemia and infused thereafter. Our results show that this experimental model of cerebral ischemia is suitable for quantification of neurologic alterations during the postischemic period. The slight improvement observed with naloxone suggests that endogenous opioids may have a minor role in the neurologic consequences of ischemia.