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Effect of bilateral carotid occlusion on cerebral hemodynamics and perivascular innervation: An experimental rat model
Author(s) -
Rots M. L.,
de Borst G. J.,
van der Toorn A.,
Moll F. L.,
Pennekamp C. W. A.,
Dijkhuizen R. M.,
Bleys R. L. A. W.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.24672
Subject(s) - ligation , medicine , basilar artery , cerebral arteries , posterior communicating artery , magnetic resonance imaging , common carotid artery , internal carotid artery , posterior cerebral artery , hemodynamics , anatomy , magnetic resonance angiography , occlusion , cardiology , middle cerebral artery , carotid arteries , radiology , ischemia
We aimed to investigate the effect of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion on cerebral hemodynamics and perivascular nerve density in a rat model. Bilateral common carotid artery (CCA) ligation ( n = 24) or sham‐operation ( n = 24) was performed with a 1‐week interval. A subgroup (ligated n = 6; sham‐operated n = 3) underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before the procedures and 2 and 4 weeks after the second procedure. After termination, carotids were harvested for assessment of complete ligation and nerve density in cerebral arteries that were stained for the general neural marker PGP 9.5 and sympathetic marker TH by computerized image analysis. Five rats were excluded because of incomplete ligation. MRI‐based tortuosity of the posterior communicating artery (Pcom), first part of the posterior cerebral artery (P1) and basilar artery was observed in the ligated group, as well as an increased volume ( p = 0.05) and relative signal intensity in the basilar artery ( p = 0.04; sham‐group unchanged). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that compared to sham‐operated rats, ligated rats had increased diameters of all intracircular segments and the extracircular part of the internal carotid artery ( p < 0.05). Ligated rats showed a higher general nerve density compared to controls in P1 (10%, IQR:8.7–10.5 vs. 6.6%, IQR:5.5–7.4, p = 0.003) and Pcom segments (6.4%, IQR:5.8–6.5 vs. 3.2%, IQR:2.4–4.3, p = 0.003) and higher sympathetic nerve density in Pcom segments (3.7%, IQR:2.8–4.8 vs. 1.7%, IQR:1.3–2.2, p = 0.02). Bilateral CCA occlusion resulted in redistribution of blood flow to posteriorly located cerebral arteries with remarkable changes in morphology and perivascular nerve density, suggesting a functional role for perivascular nerves in cerebral autoregulation.