Accelerated infarct development, cytogenesis and apoptosis following cerebral ischaemia in aged rats

Background and purpose: Old age is associated with an enhanced susceptibility to stroke and deficient recovery from brain injury, but the cellular mechanisms underlying such phenomena are poorly understood. Methods: To address this issue, focal cerebral ischemia was produced by reversible occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery in 3 month- and 20 month-old male Sprague Dawley rats and brains analyzed by BrdU-labeling, quantitative immunohistochemistry and 3D-reconstruction of confocal images. Results: We found that aged rats are predisposed to rapidly develop an infarct within the first few days after isch…