EFFECT OF GLYCEROL ON CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW IN CHRONIC CEREBRAL ISCHEMIC DISEASE

The change of cerebral blood flow (CBF) after glycerol infusion was an alyzed in 10 cases of lacunar infarction and 11 cases of ischemic dise ase of major artery: 6 cases of internal carotid artery occlusion and 5 cases of middle cerebral artery occlusion. In lacunar infarction, CB F increased generally except for the corona radiata and the increased ratio was about 20%. In cases with ischemic disease of a major artery, the CBF tended to increase in the non-affected hemisphere after glyce rol infusion, But CBF did not always increase in the affected hemisphe re; rather it decreased in the temporal and parietal lobes and especia lly in the corona radiata. The blood flow of the affected hemisphere m ight be stealed to the non-affected hemisphere after glycerol infusion . This phenomenon might be caused by a poor cerebrovascular reserve ca pacity of the maximally dilated vessels in the affected side. (C) Pear son Professional Ltd 1997.