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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Effect of chronic alcohol consumption on brain damage following transient focal ischemia
Brain Research, Article in Press, Corrected Proof 7 December 2007



Chronic alcohol consumption impairs cerebral vasoreactivity, and thus, may result in an increase in ischemic brain damage.

The goal of this study is to examine the influence of chronic alcohol consumption on transient focal ischemia-induced brain damage.

Dilation of pial arterioles in response to hypoxia and hypercapnia was significantly reduced in alcohol-fed rats. Alcohol-fed rats had significantly larger infarct volumes and worse neurological outcomes than non-alcohol-fed rats under ketamine/xylazine or isoflurane anesthesia. In addition, rCBF measurement indicated that alcohol-fed rats had less regulatory rebound increase in rCBF after the initial drop in rCBF at the onset of MCAO.

Our findings suggest that chronic alcohol consumption exacerbates transient focal ischemia-induced brain damage. Increased ischemic brain damage during alcohol consumption may be related to an impaired cerebral vasoreactivity.

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