Effect of sympathetic denervation on chronic cold injuries in rabbit brain. A microangiographical and histological...

Sympathetic denervation of the brain vessels was performed uni- or bilaterally in 13 adult rabbits, and cortical cold lesions were induced bilaterally 10-18 days afterwards. After a further 4-35 days the vascular and morphological changes in the lesion areas were studied histologically and with angiography. No difference was observed between the denervated and the non-denervated lesion areas. The results are discussed with regard to a proposed functional plasticity of the chronically denervated brain vessels and/or to possible changes in metabolic demands of the brain tissue.