CONTRIBUTION OF CEREBROVASCULAR PARASYMPATHETIC AND SENSORY INNERVATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CEREBRAL EDEMA IN RAT FOCAL ISCHEMIA AND REPERFUSION

The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of cereb rovascular parasympathetic and sensory innervation to the development of ischemic brain edema. We measured the cerebral water content in rat focal ischemia and reperfusion model. A chronic transection of neithe r parasympathetic fiber nor sensory fiber (nasociliary nerve) modified the cerebral water content after 2 h ipsilateral middle cerebral arte ry (MCA) occlusion. However, a chronic transection of sensory fiber, b ut not the parasympathetic fiber, significantly attenuated the increas e of the cerebral water content after 2 h occlusion of ipsilateral MCA followed by 2 h reperfusion. This result indicates that the cerebrova scular sensory innervation contributes to the development of cerebral edema in the postischemic reperfusion.