Relevance of Behavioral Test in the Photothrombotic Stroke Rat Model

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to find reliable behavioral measures for the evaluation of motor dysfunction in photothrombotic ischemia rat model. METHOD: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained for behavioral test including tray reaching task (TRT), single pellet reaching task (SPRT), and rotarod task (RRT) for more than 2 weeks. Photothrombotic ischemia was induced in a stereotactically held rats using Rose Bengal dye (20 mg/kg) and cold light. Rats were assigned to either control (n=10) or experimental ischemic group (n=10). Post-lesional behavioral tests were performed for 4 weeks after confirmation of lesion by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed by histological examination. RESULTS: RRT showed no difference between control and experimental group. SPRT and TRT showed significant difference between control and experimental group (p<0.05). SPRT could well demonstrate the recovery of motor dysfunction after over time. CONCLUSION: SPRT could be the most reliable test to measure not only motor dysfunction but also motor recovery in unilateral motor cortex lesion of photothrombotic ischemia rat model.