Efficacy of Rho kinase inhibitor on cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats.

This work aims to explore the efficacy of Rho kinase inhibitor Fasudil on cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats. A total of 32 male adult Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: treatment group, control group and sham-operated group for severe carotid artery stenosis model. After two weeks, 8.35 mg/kg Fasudil and physiological saline were intraperitoneally applied twice per day in treatment group and control group, respectively. Morris water maze test was performed in each group to detect the changes of cognitive function and observe the hippocampal pathomorphology in rats after eight weeks. The average escape latency distinctly shortened (P < 0.01) and the percentage of swimming distance in the platform quadrant significantly increased (P < 0.01) in treatment group compared with those at corresponding time points in control group. The rate of carotid artery stenosis in rats had no statistical difference between treatment and control groups (P > 0.05). Fasudil effectively improved hippocampal pathomorphology. Rho kinase inhibitor obviously ameliorated cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats.