BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Sildenafil provides restorative therapeutic benefits in the treatment of experimental stroke. The majority of experimental studies on treatment of stroke have been performed in young animals; however, stroke is primarily a disease of the aged. Thus, using MRI, we evaluated the effects of sildenafil treatment of embolic stroke in aged animals. METHODS: Aged male Wistar rats (18 months) were subjected to embolic stroke and treated daily with saline (n=10) or with sildenafil (n=10) initiated at 24 hours and subsequently for 7 days after onset of ischemia. MRI measurements were performed at 24 hours and weekly to 6 weeks after embolization. RESULTS: MRI and histological measurements demonstrated that sildenafil treatment of aged rats significantly enhanced angiogenesis and axonal remodeling after stroke compared to saline-treated aged rats. Local cerebral blood flow in the angiogenic area was elevated and expansion of the ipsilateral ventricle and, consequently, brain atrophy was significantly reduced in the sildenafil-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of embolic stroke in aged rats with sildenafil significantly augments angiogenesis and axonal remodeling, which increased local blood flow and reduced expansion of the ipsilateral ventricle 6 weeks after stroke compared to control aged rats. MRI can be used to investigate brain repair after stroke in aged rats.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Sildenafil provides restorative therapeutic benefits in the treatment of experimental stroke. The majority of experimental studies on treatment of stroke have been performed in young animals; however, stroke is primarily a disease of the aged. Thus, using MRI, we evaluated the effects of sildenafil treatment of embolic stroke in aged animals. METHODS: Aged male Wistar rats (18 months) were subjected to embolic stroke and treated daily with saline (n=10) or with sildenafil (n=10) initiated at 24 hours and subsequently for 7 days after onset of ischemia. MRI measurements were performed at 24 hours and weekly to 6 weeks after embolization. RESULTS: MRI and histological measurements demonstrated that sildenafil treatment of aged rats significantly enhanced angiogenesis and axonal remodeling after stroke compared to saline-treated aged rats. Local cerebral blood flow in the angiogenic area was elevated and expansion of the ipsilateral ventricle and, consequently, brain atrophy was significantly reduced in the sildenafil-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of embolic stroke in aged rats with sildenafil significantly augments angiogenesis and axonal remodeling, which increased local blood flow and reduced expansion of the ipsilateral ventricle 6 weeks after stroke compared to control aged rats. MRI can be used to investigate brain repair after stroke in aged rats.
Authors: Guangliang Ding; Quan Jiang; Lian Li; Li Zhang; Ying Wang; Zheng Gang Zhang; Mei Lu; Swayamprava Panda; Qingjiang Li; James R Ewing; Michael Chopp Journal: J Neurosci Res Date: 2010-11-01 Impact factor: 4.164
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Authors: Guangliang Ding; Quan Jiang; Lian Li; Li Zhang; Zheng Gang Zhang; Karyn A Ledbetter; Lakshman Gollapalli; Swayamprava Panda; Qingjiang Li; James R Ewing; Michael Chopp Journal: Stroke Date: 2008-03-20 Impact factor: 7.914
Authors: Guangliang Ding; Quan Jiang; Lian Li; Li Zhang; Zheng Gang Zhang; Karyn A Ledbetter; Swayamprava Panda; Siamak P N Davarani; Hemanthkumar Athiraman; Qingjiang Li; James R Ewing; Michael Chopp Journal: J Cereb Blood Flow Metab Date: 2008-04-16 Impact factor: 6.200
Authors: Guang Liang Ding; Michael Chopp; David J Poulsen; Lian Li; Changsheng Qu; Qingjiang Li; Siamak P Nejad-Davarani; John S Budaj; Hongtao Wu; Asim Mahmood; Quan Jiang Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-04-18 Impact factor: 3.240