The Effect of Pre-Condition Cerebella Fastigial Nucleus Electrical Stimulation within and beyond the Time Window of Thrombolytic on Ischemic Stroke in the Rats

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of neurogenic neuroprotection conferred by cerebellar fastigial nucleus stimulation (FNS) and the role of PPARγ- mediated inflammation in a rat model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion.MethodsAfter a continuous 1 hour fastigial nucleus electric stimulation, the male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were given middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 hours undergoing reperfusion with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), while the control group received without FNS. After 72h of reperfusion, the neurological deficits, infarct volume and brain edema were evaluated. The brain tissue in ischemic penumbra was determined the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity by a spectrophotometer and expression of PPARγ was measured by Rt-PCR and Western blotting.ResultsOur findings showed that FNS group had significantly reduced infarct volume and brain edema, and improved neurological deficits compared with the control group, especially in 6h and 9h reperfusion subgroups(pConclusionsThe neuroprotective effects of FNS have been shown to prolong the therapeutic window in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, which might be related to the PPARγ mediated-inflammation in penumbral region.