Vacuolisation in the cerebellum after global brain ischaemia

This paper describes injury to the cerebellum following transient ischaemia induced by a high-pressure neck-tourniquet and systemic hypotension in the rat. In addition to a typical Purkinje cell necrosis, slowly evolving vacu olisation was observed in the neuropil of the deep nuclei of the cerebellum and in the cortical granular layer. We document that these vacuoles start to develop several hours after ischaemia and become maximally expanded afte r 24 hours. Then the vacuolisation gradually recedes and does not seem to b e associated with neuronal loss. The possible mechanisms accounting for the se alterations are discussed.