Application of Combined Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histopathologic and Functional Studies for Evaluation of Aminoguanidine Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the application of combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathologic and functional studies for evaluation of aminoguanidine following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. Trauma brain injury (TBI) is the most common cause of brain damage and is one of the leading causes of death. It triggers a large network of morphologic and metabolic changes in the central nervous system. The MRI data was compared with histologic and neurologic outcome after TBI. In addition, the neuroprotective effects of aminoguanidine, a selective inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, on the brain pathogenesis and neurologic performance following brain injury were evaluated. The efficacy of AG was determined by combining the serial MRI and histology for monitoring brain lesion progression over a 72-h period. Neurologic function was evaluated at 24, 48, and 72 h after TBI. It is found that when these time points coincided with MRI scanning time points, neurologic evaluation was performed just before MRI scanning. The different aspects of in situ terminal transferase d-UTP nick-end labeling are also elaborated.