[A comparison of the functional vulnerability of the cerebral cortex and thalamus to acute ischemia].

Using cerebral cortical and thalamic ischemia models produced in mongrel dogs, the reversibility of short-latency somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs) and the effects of ischemic brain edema on reversibility were compared. The mean systemic blood pressure (MSBP) of animals was reduced by exsanguination until cortical SSEPs disappeared, and was held constant at that level. The MSBP was recovered by autogenous blood transfusion at 30 minutes (subgroup A), 60 minutes (subgroup B) and 90 minutes (subgroup C) after SSEP disappearance in the cortical ischemia group; and at 15 minutes (subgroup D) and 30 minutes (subgroup E) after SSEP disappearance in the thalamic ischemia group. Local cerebral blood flows (lCBF) were measured and SSEPs were monitored serially up to 2 hours after blood transfusion. At the end of measurement, the leakage of Evans blue was evaluated and brain tissue water content was measured. Cortical SSEPs disappeared when lCBF in the right cerebral cortex, measured by hydrogen clearance method decreased to 18.4 +/- 5.4 ml/100 g/min (mean +/- SD) and neuronal transmission failure in thalamus occurred when thalamic blood flow decreased to 10.0 +/- 3.3 ml/100 g/min. After blood transfusion. SSEP reappeared in all 12 animals in subgroup A, but did not appear in 2 of 9 animals in subgroup B and in all of 7 animals in subgroup C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)