Comparative study on neuroethology and pathology in rat model with spontaneous hypertension and persistent hypoperfusion / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the potential mechanisms of vascular dementia (VD) by comparing the neuroethological and pathological changes of two VD models, established with spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and the rat, of which the bilateral carotid arteries were ligated. Methods Ten male SHRs were employed and defined as hypertension control group. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to operation group (bilateral carotid arteries were ligated), sham group and control group. All rats enrolled in the operation group were undergone a permanent ligation of bilateral carotid artery (2-VO). The memory function of rats was estimated by the mean escape latency of Morris water maze. The morphological changes of neuron cells in the frontal lobe, temporal lobes, hippocampus and thalami were observed with HE staining, while the changes of white matter around cerebral ventricles were checked with LFB staining, and the demyelination of nerve was calculated. Results The memory function of rats in SHR control group and Wistar operation group was decreased compared with that of the rats in sham group and control group (P0.05). Conclusions SHRs without intervention and Wistar rats undergone 2-VO can be used to reproduce the ideal VD model. Both chronic permanent hypoperfusion and hypertension may lead to the loss of neurons and myelin which may result in memory dysfunction. Hypoperfusion is even more harmful than hypertension. The present study suggests that loss of neurons and myelin may play a role in the VD.