Pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and energy metabolite levels following bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in rat brain

The influence of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion on cerebral energy metaboli sm was studied. The bilateral common carotid arteries of Wistar rats were o ccluded for 0, 2, 7, and 28 days. Cerebral energy metabolism was evaluated by assaying adenosine triphosphate (ATP), phosphocreatine (PCr), and lactat e levels and measuring pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity (each time poi nt, n = 6). Pathological changes were assessed light-microscopically by Klu ver-Barrera staining and immunohistochemical labeling for astroglia (each t ime point, n = 3). There were no changes in ATP and PCr levels or PDH activ ity; there was slight but significant transient lactate accumulation at 2 d ays. Myelin pallor and increase in immune-reactive astroglia were only obse rved at 28 days. These results indicate that chronic cerebral hypoperfusion induces delayed white matter changes in the corpus callosum of rat brain, but does not affect energy production. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All r ights reserved.