Risk factors for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction and establishment of its risk prediction model / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective:To analyze the risk factors for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMI) in patients with acute large hemispheric infarction (LHI), and construct a visual nomogram model with early prediction value.Methods:A total of 274 patients with acute LHI admitted to our hospital from January 2018 to June 2020 were chosen in our study; according to disease progression, these patients were divided into MMI group ( n=97) and non-MMI group ( n=177). The general information, laboratory examination indexes, imaging examination indexes of patients in the two groups were compared. The items with significant differences were included in multivariate Logistic regression analysis to identify the independent factors affecting the occurrence of MMI in LHI patients. R language was used to draw nomograms, and the model was evaluated and internally verified. Results:Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) scores, infarct volume, fever, thrombolysis, heart disease, and neutrophils count were independent risk factors for MMI after LHI ( P<0.05). Age is an independent protective factor for MMI after LHI. Based on these 7 factors, the nomogram model of the risk of MMI was drawn and verified, and the C-index was 0.905 ( 95%CI: 0.868-0.941) and the calibration was good. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of the model for predicting MMI in LHI patients was 0.905 ( 95%CI: 0.868-0.941), suggesting that the histograph model had high efficiency in predicting MMI in LHI patients. Conclusion:Young LHI patients with high NIHSS scores, large infarct volume, high neutrophil count, fever, and heart disease, and those accepted thrombolytic therapy at admission have higher probability of MMI; the nomogram model, which can improve the diagnostic efficiency of MMI in LHI patients, has good predictive ability, good accuracy and discrimination in the study.

Therapeutic effect of early directional catheterization on malignant middle cerebral artery infarction / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of cuboid stereotactic aspiration of necrotic brain tissue for treating malignant middle cerebral artery infarction in the elderly patients.Methods Sixteen elderly patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction were selected from June 2017 to January 2019 in our hospital.Patients were followed up for 6 months to evaluate the efficacy of stereotactic aspiration of necrotic brain tissue using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).Results The 30-day mortality was 18.75％.Among the 16 elderly patients,6 (37.5％) had an mRS score of 3 (defined as moderate disability),6 (37.5％) had an mRS score of 4 (defined as moderate to severe disability),1 (6.25％) had an mRS score of 5 (defined as severe disability),and 3 (18.75％) had an mRS score of 6.The probability of 6-month favorable outcome,defined as an mRS score of ≤ 3,was 37.5％,and the 6-month mortality was 18.75％.Conclusions It is a simple,minimally invasive,effective and safe method to treat malignant middle cerebral artery infarction in the elderly patients with cuboid stereotactic aspiration of necrotic brain tissue,which needs to be confirmed by further randomized controlled studies.

Therapeutic effect of early directional catheterization on malignant middle cerebral artery infarction / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the efficacy and safety of cuboid stereotactic aspiration of necrotic brain tissue for treating malignant middle cerebral artery infarction in the elderly patients.@*Methods@#Sixteen elderly patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction were selected from June 2017 to January 2019 in our hospital. Patients were followed up for 6 months to evaluate the efficacy of stereotactic aspiration of necrotic brain tissue using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).@*Results@#The 30-day mortality was 18.75%. Among the 16 elderly patients, 6 (37.5%) had an mRS score of 3 (defined as moderate disability), 6 (37.5%) had an mRS score of 4 (defined as moderate to severe disability), 1 (6.25%) had an mRS score of 5 (defined as severe disability), and 3 (18.75%) had an mRS score of 6. The probability of 6-month favorable outcome, defined as an mRS score of ≤3, was 37.5%, and the 6-month mortality was 18.75%.@*Conclusions@#It is a simple, minimally invasive, effective and safe method to treat malignant middle cerebral artery infarction in the elderly patients with cuboid stereotactic aspiration of necrotic brain tissue, which needs to be confirmed by further randomized controlled studies.

Bilateral Occipital Lobe Infarction Presenting as Bilateral Inferior Altitudinal Defects

PURPOSE: Horizontal visual field defects are generally caused by lesions before the optic chiasm, but we report a case with bilateral inferior altitudinal defects secondary to bilateral occipital lobe infarction. CASE SUMMARY: A 57-year-old male with a history of diabetes and hypertension presented with a month of blurring in the inferior visual field. His corrected visual acuity was 1.0 in the right eye and 0.63 in the left eye, and the intraocular pressure was normal in each eye. Pupillary response, ocular movement, and color vision tests were normal in both eyes. There was no specific finding of the optic disc and macula on fundus examination. Visual field examination revealed an inferior congruous homonymous hemianopia with horizontal meridian sparing and a left incongruous homonymous quadrantanopia. Optical coherence tomography for peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness revealed a mild decrease in the inferior disc of both eyes. Brain magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of an acute infarction confined with upper medial calcarine fissures of bilateral occipital lobe and the right splenium of the corpus callosum, which were consistent with inferior altitudinal hemianopia and left superior incongruous quadrantanopia, respectively. Brain magnetic resonance angiography showed multiple stenosis of bilateral posterior cerebral arteries. CONCLUSIONS: The altitudinal visual field defects could be caused by the occipital lesion medial to the calcarine fissure, and unusual visual defects could be due to a combination of multiple lesions.

Paradoxical Motor and Cognitive Function Recovery in Response to Zolpidem in a Patient with Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury: A Case Report

We report an extremely rare case of a patient with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury who recovered consciousness and motor and cognitive functions due to paradoxical response after zolpidem administration. A 32-year-old woman who had attempted suicide by hanging was admitted. The patient had stabilized in a state of drowsy mentality, quadriparesis, dysphagia, and impaired cognition. Brain magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of hypoxic ischemic brain injury and unilateral infarction in the right posterior cerebral artery territory. Due to sleep disturbance, zolpidem was administered, and paradoxically consciousness level and function returned to near-normal during the duration of the drug-effect. In addition to previous reports, our case characteristically showed remarkable motor and cognitive function recovery, not only consciousness level. The drug-effect time was gradually decreased after 18 months and absent after 3 years. We have reviewed related literature and discussed possible neuropharmacological and neurobiological mechanism.

Infarction location for predicting cerebral infarction progressive motor nerve function deficits in middle cerebral artery area / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate the correlation between the infarction location and progressive motor deficits (PMD) occurrence.Methods The patients with middle cerebral artery(MCA) infarction within 24 h of onset without thrombolytic therapy were included.The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS) motor item score increase ≥2 points of the base line within 7 d after stroke onset served as the PMD diagnostic criteria.The differences in clinical and laboratory data,and infarction location were compared between the PMD group and non-PMD group.The multivariate Logistic regression analysis predicted the risk factors of PMD occurrence.Results A total 121 patients with MCA acute cerebral infarction were included in the study and divided into the PMD group (45 cases) and non-PMD group (76 cases).The internal watershed infarction occurrencerate in the PMD group was higher than that in the non-PMD group (26.7 ％ vs.5.3％,p=0.001).The occurrence rate of penetrating arterial infarction (PAI) had no statistical difference between the PMD group and non-PMD group(42.2％ vs.35.5％,P=0.463).PAI was further divided into perforating branch atheromatous disease (BAD) and lipohyalinitic degeneration (LD).The occurrence rate of BAD in the PMD group was significantly higher than that in the non-PMD group (28.9％ vs.9.2％,P=0.005).The stepwise Logistic regression analysis indicated that watershed infarction [odds ratio (OR):9.750,95 ％ confidence interval(CI):2.828-33.612,P=0.000] and BAD lesion (OR:6.036,95 ％ CI:2.119-17.190,P =0.001) were the independent risk factors contributing to PMD.Conclusion Internal watershed infarction and BAD lesion may predict the PMD occurrence.The infarct location is conducive to find the high risk population of cerebral infarction progress.

Long-Term Outcomes of FIM Motor Items Predicted From Acute Stage NIHSS of Patients With Middle Cerebral Artery Infarct

OBJECTIVE: To outline the association between the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in the acute stage and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of motor items several months later. METHODS: Seventy-nine infarct cases with middle-cerebral-artery region transferred to long-term rehabilitation facilities were analyzed. Patients were allocated to either the model-development group or the confirmatory group at a 2:1 ratio. Independent variables were based on the NIHSS during the acute care and on demographic factors such as age and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) before onset. Multivariate logistic analyses were performed to predict the independence of each FIM motor item. These models were evaluated in the confirmatory group. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic analyses in the model-development group (n=53) indicated that at least one NIHSS item was statistically significantly associated with the functional independence of a single FIM motor item. Of the NIHSS items, the affected lower extremity item was the most widely associated with 11 of the FIM motor items, except for eating and shower transfer. The affected upper extremity function was the second widely involved factor associated with 7 of the FIM motor items including eating, grooming, bathing, toileting, bed transfer, toilet transfer, and shower transfer. Age and mRS were also statistically significant contributing factors. The obtained predictive models were assessed in the confirmatory group (n=26); these were successful except for the stairs climb item. CONCLUSION: In combination with age and pre-stroke status, the NIHSS items (especially the affected extremity items) may be useful for the prediction of long-term outcome in terms of activities in daily living.

The loss of motor unit and it's influencing factors in patients with middle cerebral artery infarction / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective To investigate the loss of motor unit and it's influencing factors in the lower motor neurons after middle cerebral artery infarction. Method Forty patients with first onset and unilateral middle cerebral artery infarction were divided into cortical-basal ganglia(26)and basal ganglia(14)groups and 10 healthy controls were served as control group.All included patients were scored by National Institute of Health stroke scale(NIHSS),modified Rankin scale (mRS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) at 48 hours of admission. Nerve conduction study on the limb and motor unit number estimation (MUNE) on abductor pollicis brevis were performed at 2-4 weeks after onset, and the data of single motor action potential (SMUAP) were collected. SPSS 20.0 software was used to statistical analysis. Result The MUNE on were significantly lower and the amplitude and area of SMUAP were significantly increased in ipsilateral than contralateral sides (cortical-basal ganglia group:95.85±26.82 vs. 143.65±38.86, P<0.001; basal ganglia group: 126.71± 44.13 vs. 157.36±56.72, P=0.001). The affected MUNE was significantly decreased in the cortex-basal ganglia than in basal ganglia groups (95.85±26.82 vs.161.40±48.90,P=0.027). The MUNE was negatively correlated with NIHSS score (r=-0.362,P=0.022)and mRS score(r=-0.339,P=0.032).NIHSS score(β=-1.603,P=0.032,95%CI:-3.064~-0.142)and mRS score(OR=2.885,P=0.025,95%CI:1.139~7.158)on admission could predict the loss of MUNE on the affected side. Conclusion This study reveals the loss of motor unit and the compensation of remained motor unit on the affected side after middle cerebral artery infarction,NIHSS score and mRS score on admission may predict the loss of MUNE after stroke.

Complete occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia / 소아과

We report a case of a 5-year-old girl who developed left hemiparesis and left facial palsy, 6 days after the initiation of fever and respiratory symptoms due to pneumonia. Chest radiography, conducted upon admission, showed pneumonic infiltration and pleural effusion in the left lung field. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed acute ischemic infarction in the right middle cerebral artery territory. Brain magnetic resonance angiography and transfemoral cerebral angiography revealed complete occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection was identified by a 4-fold increase in IgG antibodies to M. pneumoniae between acute and convalescent sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fibrinogen and D-dimer levels were elevated, while laboratory exams in order to identify other predisposing factors of pediatric stroke were all negative. This is the first reported pediatric case in English literature of a M. pneumoniae-associated cerebral infarction involving complete occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery.

Complete occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia / 소아과

We report a case of a 5-year-old girl who developed left hemiparesis and left facial palsy, 6 days after the initiation of fever and respiratory symptoms due to pneumonia. Chest radiography, conducted upon admission, showed pneumonic infiltration and pleural effusion in the left lung field. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed acute ischemic infarction in the right middle cerebral artery territory. Brain magnetic resonance angiography and transfemoral cerebral angiography revealed complete occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection was identified by a 4-fold increase in IgG antibodies to M. pneumoniae between acute and convalescent sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fibrinogen and D-dimer levels were elevated, while laboratory exams in order to identify other predisposing factors of pediatric stroke were all negative. This is the first reported pediatric case in English literature of a M. pneumoniae-associated cerebral infarction involving complete occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery.

Cerebral Arterial Calcification Is an Imaging Prognostic Marker for Revascularization Treatment of Acute Middle Cerebral Arterial Occlusion / 대한뇌졸중학회지

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To study the significance of intracranial artery calcification as a prognostic marker for acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing revascularization treatment after middle cerebral artery (MCA) trunk occlusion. METHODS: Patients with acute MCA trunk occlusion, who underwent intravenous and/or intra-arterial revascularization treatment, were enrolled. Intracranial artery calcification scores were calculated by counting calcified intracranial arteries among major seven arteries on computed tomographic angiography. Patients were divided into high (HCB; score > or =3) or low calcification burden (LCB; score <3) groups. Demographic, imaging, and outcome data were compared, and whether HCB is a prognostic factor was evaluated. Grave prognosis was defined as modified Rankin Scale 5-6 for this study. RESULTS: Of 80 enrolled patients, the HCB group comprised 15 patients, who were older, and more commonly had diabetes than patients in the LCB group. Initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores did not differ (HCB 13.3+/-2.7 vs. LCB 14.6+/-3.8) between groups. The final good reperfusion after revascularization treatment (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score 2b-3, HCB 66.7% vs. LCB 69.2%) was similarly achieved in both groups. However, the HCB group had significantly higher NIHSS scores at discharge (16.0+/-12.3 vs. 7.9+/-8.3), and more frequent grave outcome at 3 months (57.1% vs. 22.0%) than the LCB group. HCB was proven as an independent predictor for grave outcome at 3 months when several confounding factors were adjusted (odds ratio 4.135, 95% confidence interval, 1.045-16.359, P=0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial HCB was associated with grave prognosis in patients who have undergone revascularization for acute MCA trunk occlusion.

Decompressive craniectomy and conservative treatment for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction: a Meta-analysis / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of decompressive craniectomy and conservative treatment within 48 h of onset in malignant middle cerebral artery infarction.Methods Cochrane Library,Pubmed,Embase,CNKI,Chinese Biomedical Database,VIP information database,Wanfang database were searched,and the retrieval time was from the library being built to April 31,2015.Review Mannager 5.2 statistical analysis software was used to evaluate the treatment efficacy of decompressive craniectomy and conservative therapy,amd modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores were considered as the efficacy evaluation criteria.Results A total of six randomized controlled trial studies and two prospective studies were selected,including 201 patients from the decompressive craniectomy group and 197 patients from the conservative treatment group.The mortality of the two groups atter 12 months of treatment was significantly different (mRS scores=6,P=-0.000,OR=0.18,95％ CI:0.12-0.29).Moderate or severe disability rate after 6 months of treatment was significantly different (mRS scores=4-5,P=0.000,OR=3.36,95％CI:1.95-5.78),and that after 12 months of treatment was also significantly different (P=0.000,OR=4.62,95％CI:2.64-8.07).The number of patients enjoyed good life quality (mRS scores ≤ 3) 6 and 12 months after treatment between the two groups was statistically significant (P=0.010,OR=2.69,95％CI:1.21-5.96;P=0.020,OR=2.07,95％CI:1.11-3.87);mortality rate (mRS scores=6) and disability rate (mRS scores=3-5) of patients aged more than 60 years between the two groups were significantly different (P=0.000,OR=0.20,95％CI:0.10-0.42;P=0.000,OR=4.94,95％CI:2.35-10.35).Conclusion Regardless of age greater or less than 60 years old,decompressive craniectomy can significantly reduce the mortality of patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction within 48 hours as compared with conservative treatment,but surgery may increase moderate to severe disability.

Research progress of decompressive hemicraniectomy application as treatment for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction / 天津医药

A large ischemic stroke caused by malignant middle cerebral artery infarction can lead to severe cerebral edema, even cerebral hernia. This condition deteriorates and progresses rapidly, usually leading to death. Due to limitations of conservative treatments, decompressive hemicraniectomy becomes a favored option in clinic. Recent years, a series of ex?perimental studies and clinical trials achieved reliable evidence that decompressive hemicraniectomy is an effective treat?ment for patients who suffer from malignant middle cerebral artery infarction. With the successful surgical procedure, most patients benefit from a reduced mortality and improved functional outcome without severe disability. Nevertheless, plenty of issues about decompressive hemicraniectomy still need to be solved. Here, we reviewed researches of early diagnosis of ma?lignant middle cerebral infarction and the application of decompressive hemicraniectomy as its treatment.

A Case of Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma Misidentified as a Middle Cerebral Artery Infarction

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is an uncommon cause of spinal cord compression. Early diagnosis and appropriate management are important, however, diagnosis is often difficult due to variable neurologic deficit. We report on the case of a 69-year-old female patient in right hemiparesis. She was treated with thrombolysis therapy for acute cerebral infarction before being transferred to our hospital. Findings on a cervical spine magnetic resonance image showed spinal epidural hematoma and cord compression. She was prepared to undergo decompressive surgery, however, neurologic deficits began to show improvement. She was managed conservatively and was discharged without deficits approximately nine days after onset.

Modified large craniectomy decompression in the treatment of malignant middle cerebral artery infarction / 中国现代医生

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and prognosis of modified large craniectomy decompression in the treatment of patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction. Methods Forty malignant cerebral artery in-farction patients were treated with modified large craniectomy decompression from July 2010 to July 2013 in our hospi-tal , set as the treatment group; retrospective analyzed 40 cerebral infarction patients in our hospital from July 2006 to July 2009 which were adopted traditional operation bone flap decompression treatment as the control group. The recov-ery stage, the rapeutic effect and prognosis were compared between two group patients. Results The survival rate in the treatment group was 90%(36/40),and was significantly higher than 57.50%(23/40) in the control group, the differ-ence was statistically significant (P<0.05);Postoperative complications in treatment group were significantly lower than the control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). Conclusion Modified large craniectomy decom-pression in the treatment patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction ,can significantly improve the thera-peutic effect, and reduce postoperative complications, the safety is excellence,and is worth the clinical promotion.

Dynamic changes of leukocytes and prognoses of patients with right and left middle cerebral artery infarction: a comparative study / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To explore the effects of right and left middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction on immune system of these patients.Method A total of 99 acute MCA infarction patients,admitted to our hospital from January 2006 to February 2013,were enrolled in this retrospective study.Based on the artery involved,these patients were divided into left MCA infarction group (n=51) and right MCA infarction group (n=48).Such data,including dynamic changes of leukocytes (white blood cell count and ratio of each kind of white blood cells) on the 1st,3rd and 7th d of onset,pulmonary infection rate within 1 week of onset and NIHSS and improved Rankin scale scores assessed 1 month after onset/at discharge,were comparatively analyzed between these two groups.Results No significant differences on pulmonary infection rate,temperature within one week of onset,and NIHSS and improved Rankin scale scores assessed 1 month after onset were noted between the two groups (P＞0.05).No statistic difference was found when comparing the different type ofleukocytes on the 1st,3rd and 7th d after stroke and the dynamic changes of leukocytes in the 1st week between the two groups (P＞0.05).But the dynamic changes of neutrophils and lymphocytes in patients without pneumonia were different between the two groups.Conclusion MCA infarction patients have different variation tendency of leukocyte between the left and right side,which may indicate that the mechanism of post-stroke immunodepression is different when affect different MCA.

Alien Hand Syndrome in Stroke: Case Report & Neurophysiologic Study

Alien Hand Syndrome is defined as unwilled, uncontrollable, but seemingly purposeful movements of an upper limb. Two major criteria for the diagnosis are complaint of a foreign limb and complex, autonomous, involuntary motor activity that is not part of an identifiable movement disorder. After a cerebrovascular accident in the corpus callosum, the parietal, or frontal regions, various abnormal involuntary motor behaviors may follow. Although different subtypes of Alien Hand Syndrome have been distinguished, this classification clearly does not cover the wide clinical variety of abnormal motor behaviors of the upper extremity. And there are few known studies about the neurophysiology of this syndrome using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We recently experienced 2 rare cases of Alien Hand Syndrome which occurred after anterior cerebral artery (ACA) infarction. A 72 year-old male with right hemiplegia following a left ACA infarct had difficulty with voluntarily releasing an object from his grasp. A 47 year-old female with left hemiplegia following a right ACA infarct had a problem termed 'intermanual conflict' in which the two hands appear to be directed at opposing purposes. Both of them had neurophysiologic studies done, and showed reduced amplitude by single pulse MEP and a lack of intracortical inhibition (ICI) by paired pulse TMS. No abnormalities were found in SSEP.

Protective efficacy of an Ecklonia cava extract used to treat transient focal ischemia of the rat brain / 대한해부학회지

Phlorotannins (marine algal polyphenols) have been reported to exhibit beneficial biological activities, serving as both antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Among marine algae, Ecklonia cava, a member of the Laminariaceae, is a very popular food regarded as healthy in Korea and Japan. Recently, benefits afforded by phlorotannins in the treatment of various clinical conditions have been reported, but any therapeutic effects of such materials in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke remain unclear. Also, the mechanisms of action of the algal components remain poorly understood. In the present in vivo study, administration of Ecklonia cava polyphenols (ECP) at 10 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) significantly decreased infarct size and the extent of brain edema in the rat after induction of transient focal ischemia via middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Further, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay revealed dose-dependent blockage of neuronal apoptosis upon intravenous ECP treatment. Neurobehavioral tests performed over the 6 days after MCAO revealed a reduction in neurological motor performance in control animals, but administration of ECP (50 mg/kg i.p.) prevented this decline. In vitro, a significant neuroprotective effect of ECP was evident when cell viability was assayed after induction of H2O2-mediated oxidative stress, upon retinoic acid treatment, in the differentiated neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. Interestingly, ECP blocked the rise in cytosolic calcium, in a dose-dependent manner, in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells exposed to H2O2. Together, the results suggest that ECP exerts neuroprotective effects in the focally ischemic brain by reducing Ca(2+)-mediated neurotoxicity.

The use of Stronger Neo-Minophagen C, a glycyrrhizin-containing preparation, in robust neuroprotection in the postischemic brain / 대한해부학회지

Stronger Neo-Minophagen C (SNMC) is a glycyrrhizin-containing preparation that is approved in Japan for the treatment of chronic hepatic diseases and is marketed in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, and India. Glycyrrhizin, a triterpene present in the roots and rhizomes of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-viral effects. In the present study, we demonstrated the marked neuroprotective effects of SNMC in the postischemic rat brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). We used 1 ml/kg of SNMC, which is within the dose range used for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatic disease. The administration of SNMC intravenously at 30 minutes before or 30 minutes and 3 hours after MCAO (60 minutes) reduces mean infarct volumes to 27.0+/-4.2%, 37.1+/-12.4%, and 67.8+/-5.8% of that of untreated controls, respectively. This neuroprotective effect is accompanied by improvements in motor impairment and neurological deficits. The administration of SNMC is shown to suppress microglia activation and neutrophil infiltration in the postischemic brain. In addition, SNMC suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced nitrite production and proinflammatory cytokine induction in a microglia cell line, BV2. This indicates that the neuroprotective effect of SNMC might be due, at least in part, to an anti-inflammatiory effect. Interestingly, SNMC shows significantly higher neuroprotective potency compared to an equivalent dose of pure glycyrrhizin, in terms of reducing infarct volume and improving neurological deficits. Together these results indicate that SNMC, a glycyrrhizin-containing preparation developed for chronic liver disease, has a marked neuroprotective function in the postischemic brain via its anti-inflammatory effects.

Expression of neuroglobin after focal cerebral ischemia and its neuroprotective effect / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To study the expression of neuroglobin (Ngb) in rat cerebral ischemia model and the neuroprotective effect of Ngb after ischemia and hypoxia. Methods: Totally 113 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group, hemorrhagic infarction (HI) group and hemin treatment group. The brain water content, infarcted tissue volume, neuropathologic changes (H-E staining) and expression of Ngb (immunocytochemical staining) were examined 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after model establishment. Results: The brain water contents and the infarcted tissue volumes in the hemin treatment group were significantly different from those of the MCAO group and HI group (P<0.01). The brain edema was obviously increased in HI group at 12 h. Neuropathologic examination showed that there were fewer necrotic neurons, milder edema and stronger Ngb expression in the Hemin treatment group than in the MCAO group and HI group. Immunocytochemical staining showed that the Ngb positive neurons in Hemin treatment group were more than those in the MCAO and HI groups. Conclusion: Earlier peak of brain edema may lead to aggravation of disease. Hemin-induced Ngb expression may relieve brain damage during focal cerebral ischemia.