Introduction: Selective antegrade cerebral perfusion (SACP) is adopted by many surgical groups as an alternative to deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. However there are still no preclinical evidences to support this strategy. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that SACP in moderate hypothermia vs DHCA could have different modulation of electrophysiological and cerebrovascular processes in vivo. Methods: Extra-corporeal circulation with central cannulation was instituted in male Wistrar rats. Animals were randomized to DHCA (16-18°C) or SACP (left carotid artery cannulation; 10 ml/kg/min) in moderate hypothermia (26-28°C). After 20 min of circulatory arrest, rats underwent 60 min of reperfusion / rewarming. EEG activity was recorded during all experiments. Neurological deficit score and survival were determined after 24 hours. Thereafter animals were scarified and brain snap-frozen and analyzed. Results: EEG activity 2-40 Hz (Power Spectrum Analysis) decreased in all rats during circulatory arrest. However, SACP determined fast recovery of brain activity and less decreased EEG power spectral density compared to DHCA (p <0.05). After 24 h survival and neurologic deficit scores were not different in the two groups. However histological damage scores, brain TNF-α, caspase-3, TUNEL and GSH/GSSG ratio were attenuated in SACP compared to DHCA (all p<0.05). Conclusions: Selective antegrade cerebral perfusion in moderate hypothermia is superior to DHCA in restoring brain electrical activity and in reducing apoptosis, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.