— A model is described in which transient ischemia is induced in rats anaesthetized with N₂O:O₂ (70:30) by bilateral carotid artery clamping combined with a lowering of mean arterial blood pressure to 50 mm Hg, the latter being achieved by bleeding, or by bleeding supplemented with administration of trimetaphan or phentolamine. By the use of intubation, muscle paralysis with suxamethonium chloride, and insertion of tail arterial and venous catheters, it was possible to induce reversible ischemia for long-term recovery studies. Autoradiographic measurements of local CBF showed that the procedure reduced CBF in neocortical areas, hippocampus, and caudoputamen to near-zero values, flow rates in a number of subcortical areas being variable. Administration of trimethaphane or phentolamine did not affect ischemic and postischemic flow rates, nor did they alter recovery of EEG and sensory-evoked responses, but trimetaphan blunted the changes in plasma concentrations of adrenaline and noradrenaline. Recovery experiments showed that 10 min of ischemia gave rise to clear signs of permanent brain damage, with a small number of animals developing postischemic seizures that led to the death of the animals in status epilepticus. After 15 min of ischemia, such alterations were more pronounced, and the majority of animals died. It is concluded that the short revival times noted are explained by the fact that the model induces near-complete ischemia, and that recovery following forebrain ischemia is critically dependent on residual flow rates during the period of ischemia.

The possibility that neuronal damage due to hypoglycemia is induced by agonists acting on the N -methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor was investigated in the rat caudate nucleus. Local injections of an NMDA receptor antagonist, 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid, were performed before induction of 30 minutes of reversible, insulin-induced, hypoglycemic coma. Neuronal necrosis in these animals after 1 week of recovery was reduced 90 percent compared to that in saline-injected animals. The results suggest that hypoglycemic neuronal damage is induced by NMDA receptor agonists, such as the excitatory amino acids or related compounds.

The present study was undertaken to correlate calcium accumulation with the development of neuronal necrosis following transient ischemia. After 10 min of forebrain ischemia in the rat—a period that leads to reproducible damage of CA1 pyramidal cells—determination of calcium concentration and evaluation of morphological signs of cell body necrosis in the dorsal hippocampus were performed at various recirculation times. Tissue calcium concentration was not different from control at the end of ischemic period and did not change after 3, 6, 12, or 24 h of recirculation. However, after 48 h, calcium content increased significantly, with a further increase being seen after 72 h. At early recovery periods, only scattered necrotic neurons were observed. after 48 h, only 2 of 12 hemispheres showed more than 25 necrotic cells per section. More conspicuous neuronal death was observed after 72 h. The results thus demonstrate that net accumulation of calcium in regio superior of the hippocampus precedes marked necrosis of CA1 pyramidal cells. The results suggest that one primary event in the delayed death of these cells is membrane dysfunction with increased calcium cycling.