Study of cellular changes induced by moderate cerebral ischemia achieved through internal carotid artery ligation.

Reduced cerebral blood flow beyond the compensatory mechanisms leads to cerebral hypoxia. Hypoxia causes various lesions of neurons, glial cells and cerebral blood vessels, depending on its duration and intensity. In our study, we reduced cerebral blood flow in the experience animal on average by 30%, by right internal carotid artery ligation. Fifteen days after the onset of hypoxia, by histology and immunohistochemical studies, we identified neuronal, glial and vascular damage. Lesions of nerve and glial cells ranged from changes of cytoplasmic tinting with the development of "red neurons", to neuronal and glial cytolysis with areas of focal necrosis. Vascular lesions were represented by the collapse, fragmentation and discontinuity of capillaries, always associated with a marked perivascular edema.