Hemodynamic effects of clonidine outweigh potential neuroprotective effects in experimental stroke

Introduction: There are various publications reporting neuroprotective effects of alpha2-adrenoreceptor agonists, such as clonidine and dexmedetomidine, both in animal studies and in vitro. We have studied the effects of clonidine and the role of different alpha2-adrenoreceptor subtypes in an experimental stroke model using transgenic mice with deletions of alpha2-receptor subtypes. Methods: In transgenic mice with deletions of the alpha2-adrenoreceptor subtypes alpha2B (alpha2B-ko), alpha2C (alpha2C-ko), alpha2A/C (alpha2A/C-ko) and in control animals (wt), a transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced with o…