MCAO (Experimental Middle Cerebral Artery Ischemia and Functional Recovery)

Middle Cerebral Artery occlusion involves temporarily or permanently restricting MCA blood flow to the cortex and striatum by inserting intraluminal suture in the internal carotid via an incision in the external carotid. The suture lodges in the junction between the anterior and middle cerebral arteries and remains in place either for a predetermined amount of time or permanently. Depending on the duration of the occlusion, damage occurs in the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital cortex as well as several subcortical structures including the thalamus, striatum, and hypothalamus.

Carbenoxolone (CBX), a gap junction blocker and modulator of 11-ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, shows neuroprotective activity with reduced infarction when administered up to six hours post-MCAo in rats.

There is a 32 percent reduction in blood flow measures from baseline, after MCAo