PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF DICHLOROACETATE IN A RAT MODEL OF FOREBRAIN ISCHEMIA

Dichloroacetate (DCA) activates the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PD HC), and improves the recovery of cerebral pH, lactate, ATP, and PCr f ollowing reperfusion in animal models of forebrain ischemia. In order to determine whether this results in neuroprotection, rats were admini stered NaDCA (100 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg i.v.) 10 min before 12 min of norm othermic forebrain ischemia (bilateral carotid artery occlusion plus s ystemic hypotension, 45 mmHg). Neuronal injury assessed histopathologi cally 7 days post-ischemia was significantly reduced in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, the dorsal lateral striatum, and the neocortex, i n rats treated with 100 mg/kg NaDCA, but not in rats treated with 10 m g/kg NaDCA.