Enhancement of Hippocampal Neurogenesis following Small Ischemic Cortical Infarcts in the Adult Brain

Stimulation of cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus (DG) has been observed after focal and global brain ischemia. There is some evidence that this proliferative response is at least in part mediated by NMDA-dependent mechanisms. We here analyzed the effects of cortical infarcts on cell proliferation and differentiation after small cortical infarcts leaving the hippocampal formation intact. Using the photothrombosis model, focal ischemic infarcts were induced in different cortical areas (sensorimotor forelimb and hindlimb cortex) and proliferating cells were labeled at day 3–14 after inf…