Abstract
Global cerebral ischemia occurs when blood flow to the entire brain is transiently blocked, which results in delayed neurologic deficits. Here, we present a protocol for performing the four-vessel occlusion rat model to study the neurodegeneration and cognitive deficits associated with global ischemia. We describe steps for carrying out the vertebral and common carotid artery occlusion which enables sufficient blockage of cerebral blood flow. We then detail expected outcomes using histology assays and behavioral tests.
For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Chung et al. (2022).1
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•Details of optimized techniques for the vertebral artery occlusion•Step-by-step procedures for transient occlusion of the common carotid arteries•Instructions for scoring the degree of ischemic condition with the pupil dilation
Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.
Global cerebral ischemia occurs when blood flow to the entire brain is transiently blocked, which results in delayed neurologic deficits. Here, we present a protocol for performing the four-vessel occlusion rat model to study the neurodegeneration and cognitive deficits associated with global ischemia. We describe steps for carrying out the vertebral and common carotid artery occlusion which enables sufficient blockage of cerebral blood flow. We then detail expected outcomes using histology assays and behavioral tests.