Levy R, Feustel P, Severinghaus J, Hosobuchi Y
Life Sci. 1982;31(20-21):2205-8. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(82)90119-9.
Using middle cerebral artery occlusion in the cat as a model of focal cerebral ischemia, we investigated the effect of naloxone on both neurologic deficit and regional cortical blood flow during cerebral ischemia. In all animals with major strokes, 2 mg/ml naloxone administered intravenously produced a dramatic reversal of neurologic symptoms four hours after the ischemic lesion. Animals were then anesthetized and cortical blood flow was measured by the hydrogen clearance method. Blood flow in the ischemic cortex was noted to be approximately 55% that of the control side. Naloxone produced a significant decrease of approximately 20% in cortical blood flow in the ischemic hemisphere while no effect on blood flow on the control side was noted. Thus, naloxone appears to reverse the neurologic deficits following middle cerebral artery occlusion in the cat. This effect appears to be accompanied by a decrease in local blood flow to the ischemic cortex.
