Reversible osmotic opening of the blood-brain barrier in mice.

Unilateral reversible osmotic opening of the blood-brain barrier can be produced in mice. Infusion of 1.8 molal arabinose in water at a rate of 0.64 ml/min for 30 seconds into the internal carotid artery consistently results in ipsilateral brain staining by intravascular Evans blue dye. Osmotic opening is concentration-dependent (threshold, 1.6 molal arabinose) and reversible within 4 hours. No long-term neurologic deficit occurs. These results suggest that reversible osmotic blood-brain barrier opening can be applied to disease models in mice.