Modeling middle cerebral artery stroke in rats : an examination of the skilled reaching impairments
Date
2006
Authors
Gharbawie, Omar A.
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Arts and Science, 2006
Abstract
Middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke can produce chronic incapacitating motor
impairments. Understanding the neural basis of the motor syndromes is complicated by
the diversity of neural structures damaged but the problem can be addressed in laboratory
rats by inducing selective infarcts. Nevertheless, the motor syndromes that ensue from
stroke in rats remain poorly understood and undermine its potential as a model for
clinical stroke. The objective of the present thesis was to document the skilled reaching
impairments from neocortical and subcortical MCA infarcts in rats. In addition, the
integrity of the motor system components spared by the infarct was assessed
neurophysiologically and neuroanatomically. Characteristic reaching impairments
emerged from each infarct but there were also some overlapping features that might be
explained by neural dysfunction extending beyond the boundaries of the infarct. The
present studies showed that the laboratory rat is an ideal animal model for studying
stroke, which should be of interest to both clinical and research scientists studying stroke.
Description
xiii, 345 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm. + 1 CD-ROM
Keywords
Dissertations, Academic , Cerebrovascular disease -- Animal models , Cerebrovascular disease -- Research , Cerebrovascular disease -- Treatment , Motor ability -- Research , Rats as laboratory animals