Histochemical investigation of the Mongolian gerbil's brain during unilateral ischemia

The ischemic effect on cerebral enzymes and glycogen content was histochemically evaluated in mongolian gerbils subjected to unilateral common carotid artery occlusion for various periods of time from 1/2 to 9 h. In early stages (up to 2 h), the only enzyme affected was the phosphorylase which revealed a decreased activity. Thereafter, the observed changes inclusive of glycogen and other enzymes such as the dehydrogenase, nonspecific acid and alkaline phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase and thiamine pyrophosphatase progressed proportionally to the duration of ischemia. There was an overall inverse appearance of histochemically demonstrated enzymatic disturbances between the severely damaged ischemic regions and its marginal zones; the former revealing a conspicuous decrease and/or loss of enzymatic activities while the latter showing an increase of the same enzymes. Correlating the various ischemic responses of the intracellular organelles it appears that the changes in the lysosomes and Golgi apparatus occurred slower than those of mitochondria.