Failure to enhance thrombolytic therapy by neuroprotection with memantine in a model of embolic stroke

Background: To combine neuroprotective drugs with recanalizing therapy seems to be an excellent rationale to improve stroke therapy and outcome. However, experimental data employing an embolic stroke model with suboptimal reperfusion rates – as present after thrombolysis in human stroke patients – are not available. We hypothetized that the combined use of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and memantine (NMDA receptor antagonist) could extend the therapeutic window of thrombolytic therapy. Methods: Animals were submitted to MCA clot embolism and treated with t-PA at 1.5-h (n=20) or 3.5-h (n=17) postocclusion (…