Focal Ischaemic Infarcts Expand Faster in Cerebellar Cortex than Cerebral Cortex in a Mouse Photothrombotic Stroke Model

This study compared the development and resolution of matched photothrombotic microvascular infarcts in the cerebellar and cerebral cortices in adult 129/SvEv mice of both sexes. The photothrombotic lesions were made using tail vein injection of Rose Bengal with a 532  nm laser projected onto a 2 mm diameter aperture over the target region of the brain (with skull thinning). Infarct size was then imaged histologically following 2 h to 30-day survival using serial reconstruction of haematoxylin and eosin stained cryosections. This was complemented with immunohi stochemistry for neuron and glial markers. At 2 h post-injury, the cerebellar infarct volume averaged ~ 2.7 times that of the cerebral cortex infarcts. Infarct volume reached maximum in the cerebellum in a quarter of the time (24 h) taken in the cerebral cortex (4 days). Remodelling resolved th e infarcts within a month, leaving significantly larger residual injury volume in the cerebellum. The death of neurons in the core lesion at 2 h was confirmed by NeuN and Calbindin immunofluorescence, alongside activation of astrocytes and microglia. The latter persisted in the region within and su rrounding the residual infarct at 30 days. This comparison of acute focal ischaemic injuries in cerebellar and cerebral cortices provides direct confirmation of exacerbation of neuropathology and faster kinetics in the cerebellum.

Source: Translational Stroke Research - February 17, 2018 Category: Neurology Source Type: research