High cervical spinal cord stimulation (CSCS) increases regional cerebral blood flow after induced subarachnoid haemorrhage in rats

The effects of high cervical spinal cord stimulation (cSCS) on regional cer ebral blood flow (rCBF) were investigated after experimentally induced suba rachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in rats by the means of Tc-99m-HMPAO. The experi ments were carried out on a total of 24 Wistar rats, divided in three group s [group I: control without SAH, group II: SAH, group III: SAH and cSCS]. T c-99m-HMPAO was administered intravenously (groupII/group III) 48 hours aft er induction of SAH. In group III, Tc-99m-HMPAO was given after 3 hours of cSCS. All animals were sacrificed 30 minutes after application on Tc-99m-HM PAO. Radioactivities were determined in blood, cerebrum and cerebellum. The ratio cerebrum/blood and cerebellum/blood was calculated to ascertain " ex traction rate " in the sample differentially. The following mean values wer e calculated for the cerebellum/ blood ratio: Group I: 1.06, SD: 0.21; Grou p II 0.66, SD: 0.21; Group III: 1.00, SD: 0.37. Comparing the mean values a highly significant difference could be found between group II and III (p = 0.007) and between group I and II (p = 0.0019), respectively. Calculations of the cerebrum/blood ratio revealed similar results. After SAH cSCS enhan ces cerebral and cerebellar blood flow in rats. Possibly, cSCD constitutes a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of disturbed regional cerebral blood flow after SAH.